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Inform strategy with proof: Use independent data on market confidence, growth, and customer need to assist your strategic direction. Confirm financial investment strategies: Guarantee resource allotment and efforts are backed by reputable market insight. Speed up confident decisions: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach contract quickly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance 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)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program strengthens global economic ties with 26 strategic arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign free trade pact 'very soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double annual United States investments over next years," May 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Reality Sheet: President Donald J.
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The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation phase, with activity staying raised but development slowing down. Overall possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital implementation. International macro conditions set a difficult background.
The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance across the marketplace was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decline. Overall, the data shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a small subset of items.
The High Cost of Ignoring Saudi Hub IncentivesPerformance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in specific country exposures and commodities, 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 new highs amid greater oil rates, in addition to its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. Despite a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still published favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have actually improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more careful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs also had a hard time for the many part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as appraisal pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF significantly exceeded. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allowance instead of broad market involvement. In spite of weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items drawing in brand-new capital. This shows that investors were targeting specific exposures, while reducing or turning out of others.
Trading activity stayed stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. The majority of activity appears to have happened in the secondary market, making it possible for investors to adjust positions without significant main creations or redemptions. While recent geopolitical occasions have actually resulted in more financial pressure on GCC countries, the area remains durable and well capitalized to handle the scenario.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic exposure focused on international high-end and customer 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 release in April pending a last approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted sentiment and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional assets.
Despite continuous geopolitical stress and security dangers across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show durability, maintaining positive development momentum in the last few years. While conflicts in the larger area and global economic uncertainty stay a structural restraint, GCC countries have actually so far restricted their effect on domestic financial performance through strong fiscal positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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