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Inform method with proof: Usage independent information on market confidence, growth, and client demand to direct your strategic instructions. Verify financial investment plans: Make sure resource allocation and initiatives are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate 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 Significant Strategic Chance to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (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 worldwide financial ties with 26 tactical contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign free trade pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to a minimum of double annual United States financial investments over next decade," May 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are getting in a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will increasingly figure out which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In response, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level ladies, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a new month-to-month boardroom dialogue convening 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 brings together board professionals to analyze the genuine pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Top Priorities Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber durability Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Moderator 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 straight to governance, threat oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are intentionally producing a repeating online forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances reputable female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the discussion. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the current insights, trends, and methods provided directly to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a consolidation stage, with activity staying raised but development slowing down. Total possessions held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful brand-new capital deployment. Global macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt delivered strong efficiency in January and February. In spite of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still published positive 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 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 likewise had a hard time for the most part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and international rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, showing selective allocation instead of broad market involvement. In spite of weak performance, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of products drawing in brand-new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting specific exposures, while lowering or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have actually occurred in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without significant main developments or redemptions. While current geopolitical events have actually resulted in more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the area remains resilient and well capitalized to deal with the situation.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic exposure concentrated on worldwide 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 launch in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted sentiment and rates throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
Driving Growth Through Centralized Gulf Shared Service DesignsIn spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show resilience, preserving favorable growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the larger region and international financial uncertainty remain a structural constraint, GCC nations have up until now limited their effect on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained investment.
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