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Notify method with proof: Usage independent information on market confidence, development, and customer demand to assist your strategic instructions. Verify investment strategies: Guarantee resource allocation and initiatives are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate positive decisions: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement quickly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Significant Strategic Chance to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," May 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program strengthens global economic ties with 26 strategic contracts," 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 annual United States financial investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Reality Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards across Africa are getting in a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Analysis is greater. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of conference room judgment will significantly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In reaction, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level ladies, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new monthly boardroom discussion convening 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 specialists to take a look at the real pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Concerns Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Technology disruption and cyber durability Long-term value creation 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 a convening of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a recurring forum that surfaces board-level insight, magnifies credible female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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Total properties held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant brand-new capital deployment. Worldwide macro conditions set a tough background.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance across the market was broadly negative, with just 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. In general, the data reflects a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of products.
Key Benefits of Industrial Growth in DubaiEfficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in particular country 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 rates, 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. 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 continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more careful policy background in China and global risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the many part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as appraisal pressures and worldwide rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outshined. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly concentrated, reflecting selective allocation instead of broad market participation. Despite weak performance, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items drawing in brand-new capital. This shows that financiers were targeting particular direct exposures, while reducing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity stayed steady, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have happened in the secondary market, allowing financiers to change positions without substantial main developments or redemptions. While current geopolitical occasions have actually led to more financial pressure on GCC countries, the region stays resilient and well capitalized to handle the circumstance.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic exposure focused on international luxury and consumer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some development associating with ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has affected sentiment and prices during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local assets.
In spite of continuous geopolitical stress and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show resilience, preserving positive development momentum recently. While disputes in the wider region and international financial uncertainty stay a structural restraint, GCC nations have actually up until now limited their influence on domestic financial performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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