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Notify strategy with proof: Usage independent data on market confidence, growth, and client demand to direct your strategic direction. Confirm financial investment strategies: Make sure resource allotment and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate positive choices: Equip 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 Major 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 Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces international financial ties with 26 tactical contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign totally free trade pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to at least double annual US investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are getting in a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is greater. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall back. In response, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in partnership with BusinessDay, is introducing a new monthly conference room discussion assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session combines board specialists to examine the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulative and governance expectations Technology disruption and cyber durability Long-term value creation and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards must 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 an assembling of executives contributing directly to governance, danger oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully creating a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reliable 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 most recent insights, patterns, and methods provided straight to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation stage, with activity staying raised but growth slowing. Overall possessions held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a tough 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 many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF launched on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. In Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved 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 unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt delivered strong efficiency in January and February. Despite a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted positive returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East conflict 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 likewise faced broader macro headwinds, including a more careful policy background in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs also had a hard time for the a lot of part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as evaluation pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allowance rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of products bring in new capital. This indicates that financiers were targeting particular direct exposures, while decreasing or turning out of others.

Trading activity remained stable, with average 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 location in the secondary market, allowing financiers to change positions without substantial primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure concentrated 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 release in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has impacted sentiment and costs during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
The Benefits of Industrial Excellence for the GCCIn spite of ongoing geopolitical tensions and security dangers across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate resilience, keeping favorable development momentum in the last few years. While conflicts in the wider area and global economic uncertainty remain a structural constraint, GCC countries have up until now limited their influence on domestic financial performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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