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Notify technique with proof: Usage independent data on market self-confidence, growth, and customer demand to assist your strategic direction. Confirm investment plans: Guarantee resource allowance and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Speed up confident choices: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement quickly and take decisive action.

1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (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 programme enhances global economic ties with 26 strategic 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 at least double annual United States financial investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are going into a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is higher. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In action, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and chances for board- and C-level women, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new monthly conference room discussion assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to analyze the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Concerns Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulatory and governance expectations Technology interruption and cyber strength Long-term value production and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: Moderator 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 tactical direction within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are intentionally developing a recurring forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances credible female governance voices, and expands access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the discussion. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the latest insights, patterns, and strategies provided straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation stage, with activity staying elevated but growth slowing. Total properties held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news instead of a significant brand-new capital deployment. International macro conditions set a tough backdrop.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional trend. Oil associated possessions succeeded for the most part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Absolute High-end ETF introduced on ADX to include more thematic ETFs. Also in Q1, two more Kraneshares have actually been authorized for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance across the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt delivered strong performance 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 continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have actually improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also faced broader macro headwinds, including a more mindful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs likewise had a hard time for the a lot of part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF substantially outshined. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, showing selective allotment rather than broad market involvement. In spite of weak performance, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of items attracting brand-new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting specific direct exposures, while decreasing or rotating out of others.

Trading activity remained consistent, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, making it possible for financiers to adjust positions without considerable main creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a specific niche thematic direct exposure concentrated on international luxury 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 launch in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development 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 impacted sentiment and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local assets.
Methods for Optimising Regional Operations in 2026In spite of ongoing geopolitical tensions and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show resilience, preserving favorable growth momentum in the last few years. While disputes in the broader region and international economic uncertainty stay a structural restriction, GCC countries have actually so far limited their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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