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Inform technique with evidence: Usage independent information on market confidence, development, and customer demand to guide your strategic direction. Confirm financial investment plans: Make sure resource allocation and initiatives are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach contract rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Significant 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)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program enhances global financial ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'very quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to a minimum of double annual US financial 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, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are entering a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively identify which organisations sustain development and which fall back. In reaction, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is introducing a new regular monthly conference room dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session unites board practitioners to examine the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disruption and cyber durability Long-lasting worth production and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers include: Mediator 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, threat oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally creating a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies credible female governance voices, and expands access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market gone into Q1 2026 in a consolidation stage, with activity remaining elevated however growth slowing down. Total assets held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a difficult backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Overall, the information reflects a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a small subset of items.
Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular country exposures and commodities, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs in the middle of higher oil costs, in addition to its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt delivered strong efficiency in January and February. Regardless of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still published favorable returns for the quarter. The ongoing 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 likewise dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and global risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the a lot of part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outshined. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, showing selective allotment rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products drawing in new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting specific exposures, while minimizing or turning out of others.
Trading activity stayed 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 financiers to change positions without substantial main developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic direct exposure focused on international luxury and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually affected sentiment and prices during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Key Tips for Operational Excellence in the GCCDespite continuous geopolitical tensions and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate durability, maintaining favorable development momentum over the last few years. While conflicts in the larger region and worldwide economic unpredictability remain a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually so far limited their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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