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Inform technique with evidence: Use independent information on market self-confidence, development, and client demand to guide your strategic direction. Confirm investment plans: Make sure resource allowance and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Opportunity to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (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 program reinforces worldwide financial ties with 26 tactical 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 annual US investments over next decade," Might 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.
Boards across Africa are entering a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is higher. Risk is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In response, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level females, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is releasing a new monthly conference room dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session unites board practitioners to examine the real pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Threats and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disruption and cyber resilience Long-term worth production and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances credible female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation stage, with activity staying elevated but growth slowing. Overall assets held broadly steady 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. Worldwide macro conditions set a tough background.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the marketplace was broadly negative, with just 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Overall, the information shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of items.
Picking the Right Hybrid Outsourcing Model for 2026Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in specific nation direct exposures and products, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resistant during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs in the middle of higher 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. 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 ongoing Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with broader macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the a lot of part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially outperformed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, showing selective allotment rather than broad market participation. In spite of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of products bring in brand-new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting specific direct exposures, while lowering or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained constant, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. The majority of activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, making it possible for investors to change positions without substantial main productions or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic exposure focused on global luxury and consumer brands. 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 launch in April pending a last approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has impacted sentiment and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
Regardless of ongoing geopolitical tensions and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate durability, preserving favorable development momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the wider region and international financial uncertainty remain a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually up until now restricted their effect on domestic economic performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and sustained financial investment.
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