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Notify strategy with proof: Usage independent information on market self-confidence, growth, and customer need to direct your tactical direction. Validate financial investment strategies: Ensure resource allowance and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Speed up positive choices: Gear up 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 Raise 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)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program strengthens worldwide economic ties with 26 strategic agreements," 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 financial investments over next years," Might 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 across Africa are entering a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is higher. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In response, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in partnership with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new month-to-month conference room discussion assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session brings together board specialists to take a look at the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Concerns Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Innovation interruption and cyber strength Long-term value development and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent 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 an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, danger oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately developing a repeating forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances credible 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 join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the newest insights, trends, and methods delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the forefront of what's next.
Total assets held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital release. International macro conditions set a tough background.
The result was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional trend. Oil related properties succeeded for the many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright High-end ETF introduced on ADX to include more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, 2 more Kraneshares have actually been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Market (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decline. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt provided 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 positive returns for the quarter. The ongoing Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more mindful policy background in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as appraisal pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outperformed. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and highly concentrated, showing selective allotment rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of items bring in new capital. This suggests that financiers were targeting specific direct exposures, while decreasing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity stayed steady, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have actually happened in the secondary market, making it possible for financiers to change positions without substantial primary creations or redemptions. While current geopolitical occasions have actually resulted in more financial pressure on GCC nations, the area stays durable and well capitalized to deal with the circumstance.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on global high-end and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has actually impacted belief and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local properties.
Why UAE Talent Improvement Is a Competitive RequirementDespite continuous geopolitical tensions and security dangers across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show durability, maintaining positive development momentum recently. While disputes in the wider region and international economic unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually up until now restricted their influence on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and continual financial investment.
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