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Notify strategy with proof: Use independent data on market self-confidence, development, and client need to assist your tactical instructions. Verify investment plans: Ensure resource allotment and initiatives are backed by reliable market insight. Speed up confident choices: Gear up members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take decisive 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) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA programme enhances international financial ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'extremely quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA plans to at least double annual United States financial investments over next decade," May 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 entering a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is greater. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In response, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and chances for board- and C-level females, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a new monthly boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session unites board specialists to take a look at the real pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Concerns Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disruption and cyber durability Long-lasting worth development and sustainability imperatives Leadership 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 Managing Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.

Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, risk oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are deliberately developing a recurring forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies credible female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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Total assets held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Global macro conditions set a challenging background.
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 negative, with just 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt provided 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 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 cautious policy backdrop in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the a lot of part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF considerably surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market participation. In spite of weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of items attracting new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while minimizing or turning out of others.

Trading activity remained constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have taken location in the secondary market, allowing financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide luxury and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some development associating with ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has affected belief and rates during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
Driving Regional Industrial Expansion through Operational ExcellenceRegardless of continuous geopolitical tensions and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show strength, keeping favorable growth momentum in the last few years. While disputes in the larger region and worldwide economic uncertainty remain a structural restraint, GCC nations have actually up until now limited their impact on domestic economic efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual investment.
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