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Inform strategy with evidence: Use independent data on market confidence, development, and customer demand to direct your tactical direction. Validate financial investment strategies: Ensure resource allocation and efforts are backed by credible market insight. Speed up positive choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Opportunity to Elevate 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 Passage (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme strengthens international financial ties with 26 strategic arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign free trade pact 'really soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to a minimum of double annual US investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are entering a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will significantly identify which organisations sustain development and which fall back. In reaction, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is launching a new month-to-month conference room dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board specialists to analyze the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Concerns Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value development and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers include: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Managing Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing straight to governance, danger oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately producing a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reliable female governance voices, and expands access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation phase, with activity staying raised but growth slowing. Overall assets held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the marketplace was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the information shows a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of items.
Standardizing Operations Across Diverse Gulf Company LandscapesPerformance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular country direct exposures and commodities, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resistant throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs in the middle of greater oil rates, along with its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt provided strong performance in January and February. In spite of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted positive returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have actually reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise faced more comprehensive macro headwinds, including a more careful policy background in China and worldwide risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the a lot of part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as appraisal pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF significantly exceeded. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely 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 bring in new capital. This shows that investors were targeting particular direct exposures, while decreasing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have actually taken place in the secondary market, allowing investors to change positions without significant main developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic exposure focused on global 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 expected to introduce in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has impacted belief and costs during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in regional properties.
Standardizing Operations Across Diverse Gulf Company LandscapesIn spite of continuous geopolitical stress and security dangers across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show durability, preserving favorable growth momentum recently. While disputes in the wider region and international economic uncertainty remain a structural restraint, GCC nations have actually up until now restricted their influence on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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