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Notify strategy with proof: Usage independent data on market confidence, development, and client need to guide your strategic direction. Verify investment plans: Make sure resource allocation and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Speed up positive decisions: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Opportunity to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Passage (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme enhances worldwide economic ties with 26 strategic contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to a minimum of double yearly United States financial investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are getting in a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is higher. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will significantly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In action, Ascent Club, a visibility launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level females, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a new month-to-month boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to examine the real pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Concerns Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting worth development and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers include: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing directly to governance, danger oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are intentionally producing a recurring forum that surfaces board-level insight, magnifies trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the latest insights, patterns, and strategies provided directly to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the forefront of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a consolidation stage, with activity staying elevated however development slowing down. Overall possessions held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a difficult backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance across the marketplace was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decline. Overall, the data reflects a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a small subset of items.
Ways to Utilize GCC Intelligence for 2026 SuccessEfficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in specific nation direct exposures and commodities, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs amid higher oil costs, along with its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. Regardless of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still published positive returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more mindful policy background in China and global risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as assessment pressures and worldwide rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF considerably surpassed. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, showing selective allotment instead of broad market participation. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of items attracting new capital. This shows that investors were targeting specific exposures, while reducing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained consistent, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. The majority of activity appears to have taken location in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary productions or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a specific niche thematic exposure concentrated on international luxury and consumer brand names. Momentum continued into April with the approval of KraneShares AGIX and KWIN ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX. These funds are anticipated to introduce in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some development associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has actually affected sentiment and costs during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local assets.
Despite ongoing geopolitical stress and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate durability, keeping favorable growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the wider area and global financial unpredictability remain a structural restraint, GCC nations have up until now limited their impact on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained investment.
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