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Inform strategy with proof: Usage independent data on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to direct your tactical direction. Validate financial investment strategies: Ensure resource allowance and initiatives are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate positive decisions: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement quickly and take definitive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In action, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is releasing a new monthly conference room dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board specialists to analyze the genuine pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Technology interruption and cyber strength Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards must 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 strategic direction within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a repeating forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances credible female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the current insights, trends, and strategies delivered straight to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the forefront of what's next.
Overall assets held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital deployment. International macro conditions set a challenging background.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional pattern. Oil related assets did well for the many part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Absolute High-end ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Also in Q1, 2 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 comprised 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. Overall, the data reflects a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of products.
Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular nation direct exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs amidst greater oil prices, in addition to its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. In spite of 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 reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more careful policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on performance.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, showing selective allotment rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of products bring in new capital.

Trading activity stayed stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have taken location in the secondary market, enabling investors to change positions without considerable primary developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure concentrated on worldwide 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 expected to launch in April pending a last approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has actually impacted sentiment and prices during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Mapping Regional Corporate Strategy for 2026Despite ongoing geopolitical tensions and security threats across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate resilience, preserving positive growth momentum recently. While conflicts in the wider region and global financial unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC countries have actually so far limited their impact on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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