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Notify technique with proof: Usage independent information on market self-confidence, growth, and customer need to direct your strategic instructions. Verify investment strategies: Guarantee resource allocation and efforts are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate confident choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach contract quickly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Opportunity to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme strengthens international economic ties with 26 strategic agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign totally free trade pact 'really quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double annual United States financial investments over next decade," May 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Reality Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are getting in a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new monthly boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and business management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board professionals to analyze the real pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value production and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Managing Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally developing a repeating online forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the most recent insights, patterns, and methods provided straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
Total possessions held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital implementation. Global macro conditions set a challenging backdrop.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional trend. Oil associated properties succeeded for the most part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Absolute Luxury ETF launched on ADX to include more thematic ETFs. In Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance throughout the marketplace was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decline. Overall, the information shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of products.
Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular country exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs amidst higher oil prices, in addition to its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt provided strong performance in January and February. Despite a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more careful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the many part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF considerably exceeded. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, reflecting selective allotment rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products attracting new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while reducing or turning out of others.
Trading activity stayed constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have actually taken location in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic exposure focused on worldwide high-end and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has actually affected sentiment and rates throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local assets.
The Effect of AI on Regional Shared Service EfficiencyIn spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate strength, maintaining favorable development momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the broader region and global financial unpredictability remain a structural constraint, GCC countries have actually up until now restricted their influence on domestic financial efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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