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Inform method with evidence: Usage independent information on market self-confidence, development, and client need to guide your tactical direction. Verify investment strategies: Guarantee resource allotment and efforts are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate confident choices: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement quickly and take decisive action.

Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is introducing a new monthly boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session brings together board practitioners to examine the real pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Priorities Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Technology disruption and cyber resilience Long-term worth production and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent 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 partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a repeating online forum that surface areas board-level insight, amplifies reputable female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market gone into Q1 2026 in a debt consolidation stage, with activity staying elevated however growth slowing down. Total properties held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful new capital release. International macro conditions set a tough background.
The outcome was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional pattern. Oil associated assets succeeded for the many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF introduced on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. In Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and are about to be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Market (ADX). The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decline. Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt delivered 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 published positive returns for the quarter. The ongoing 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 also faced broader macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the most part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as evaluation pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF substantially exceeded. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allowance rather than broad market participation. Despite weak performance, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of products attracting new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while reducing or turning out of others.

Trading activity stayed consistent, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have happened in the secondary market, allowing financiers to adjust positions without significant main productions or redemptions. While recent geopolitical events have actually led to more financial pressure on GCC countries, the region remains resilient and well capitalized to deal with the scenario.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on international 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 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 throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually affected sentiment and rates throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local properties.
The Advantages for Strategic Efficiency for 2026In spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate resilience, maintaining positive growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the larger area and global financial unpredictability remain a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually so far limited their effect on domestic financial efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual financial investment.
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