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Notify method with evidence: Use independent data on market self-confidence, growth, and client demand to guide your tactical instructions. Verify financial investment plans: Guarantee resource allotment and efforts are backed by reputable market insight. Speed up confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach contract rapidly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Opportunity to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement 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 programme strengthens international economic ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign complimentary trade pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares 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 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. Scrutiny is greater. Risk is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is introducing a new monthly conference room dialogue convening 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 brings together board professionals to analyze the real pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Concerns Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disruption and cyber durability Long-term value creation and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers include: 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 directly to governance, threat oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are deliberately producing a recurring online forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances reputable female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the current insights, patterns, and strategies delivered directly to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a combination stage, with activity remaining raised but development slowing. Overall assets held broadly steady 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. Global macro conditions set a difficult backdrop.
The outcome was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional trend. Oil related assets did well for the a lot of part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, 2 more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be approved 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 throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs delivering favorable 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. 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 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 careful policy background in China and worldwide risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the many part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially outperformed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, showing selective allocation rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of items attracting brand-new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting particular direct exposures, while reducing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity stayed constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have occurred in the secondary market, allowing investors to change positions without substantial primary productions or redemptions. While recent geopolitical events have actually led to more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the region stays durable and well capitalized to deal with the circumstance.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic exposure focused on international high-end and consumer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has actually impacted belief and prices throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional properties.
Despite continuous geopolitical tensions and security dangers across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show strength, maintaining positive development momentum in the last few years. While disputes in the larger area and global economic unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC countries have actually so far limited their effect on domestic financial performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and sustained financial investment.
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