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Notify strategy with proof: Usage independent information on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to guide your tactical direction. Verify investment strategies: Make sure resource allowance and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate confident decisions: 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 Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (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 program enhances global financial ties with 26 tactical agreements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to at least double yearly US financial investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are getting in a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is higher. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In reaction, Climb Club, a visibility launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in partnership with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new monthly boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session combines board specialists to take a look at the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulatory and governance expectations Innovation interruption and cyber resilience Long-lasting value creation and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers include: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, danger oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately developing a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies reliable female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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Total possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. International macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing positive 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 provided strong performance in January and February. Despite 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 conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise faced wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more cautious policy background in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy prices. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as evaluation pressures and worldwide rate dynamics weighed on performance.
Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market participation. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products bring in new capital.
Trading activity stayed stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have actually taken location in the secondary market, allowing financiers to change positions without significant main creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide high-end and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted sentiment and prices throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
The Operational Benefits of Deep Strategy ResearchRegardless of continuous geopolitical stress and security threats across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show resilience, preserving favorable development momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the larger area and international financial unpredictability remain a structural constraint, GCC countries have up until now limited their effect on domestic financial performance through strong financial positions, policy connection, and continual financial investment.
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