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Notify technique with evidence: Use independent information on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to guide your strategic instructions. Confirm financial investment strategies: Make sure resource allowance and initiatives are backed by credible market insight. Speed up confident 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 between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Chance to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration 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 Passage (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme reinforces worldwide economic ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign complimentary trade pact 'very quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double yearly US investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are entering a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Examination is higher. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly identify which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In action, Ascent Club, a visibility launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a new monthly boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to examine the genuine pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Concerns Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value production and sustainability imperatives Management choices 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 an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, risk oversight, and strategic direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are intentionally creating a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies reputable 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 sign up with the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the latest insights, patterns, and methods 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 phase, with activity staying raised however growth slowing down. Overall possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a reaction to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful new capital deployment. Global macro conditions set a difficult background.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Efficiency 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. 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 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, including a more mindful policy background in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs likewise had a hard time for the a lot of part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as assessment pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF significantly surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, showing selective allocation rather than broad market involvement. In spite of weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a small number of items attracting new capital. This suggests that financiers were targeting specific direct exposures, while decreasing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity stayed stable, 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 happened in the secondary market, allowing investors to change positions without significant primary productions or redemptions. While recent geopolitical occasions have resulted in more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the region remains resilient and well capitalized to deal with the situation.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic direct exposure focused on global luxury and customer 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 expected to introduce in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has affected belief and rates during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
The Rise of the Fractional Labor Force in the UAEIn spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security risks throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show resilience, keeping positive development momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the wider area and global financial uncertainty remain a structural restraint, GCC nations have up until now limited their influence on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained investment.
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