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Inform strategy with proof: Usage independent data on market confidence, growth, and client demand to assist your strategic instructions. Validate financial investment plans: Make sure resource allocation and initiatives are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take decisive 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 Declaration on Economic Cooperation 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) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme enhances global economic ties with 26 strategic agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'really soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to a minimum of double annual US investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are going into a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is higher. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In action, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is releasing a new month-to-month conference room dialogue 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 programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Threats and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber durability Long-lasting value creation and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent 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 an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, threat oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are purposefully creating a repeating forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the most recent insights, patterns, and strategies delivered straight to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a combination phase, with activity remaining elevated but development slowing. Total properties held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Global macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the data reflects a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of products.
Sustainable Regional Industrial Growth Patterns for 2026Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in specific nation direct exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs in the middle of greater oil prices, as well as its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
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 favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with wider macro headwinds, including a more mindful policy background in China and worldwide risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise had a hard time for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely focused, showing selective allowance rather than broad market participation. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products attracting new capital.

Trading activity remained consistent, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have actually taken place in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide high-end and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted belief and prices throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Despite continuous geopolitical tensions and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate resilience, maintaining positive development momentum in the last few years. While conflicts in the wider area and worldwide financial uncertainty stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have so far limited their effect on domestic economic efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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