All Categories
Featured
Table of Contents
Inform strategy with evidence: Usage independent data on market self-confidence, growth, and customer need to direct your strategic instructions. Validate financial investment strategies: Make sure resource allotment and efforts are backed by reliable market insight. Speed up positive choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach contract rapidly and take definitive action.

Capital is tighter. And the quality of boardroom judgment will progressively figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a new month-to-month boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business management and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to take a look at the genuine pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber durability Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: Mediator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.

Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, danger oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally producing a repeating online forum that surfaces board-level insight, magnifies credible female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
Get the latest insights, patterns, and strategies provided directly to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the leading edge of what's next.
The GCC ETF market gone into Q1 2026 in a consolidation phase, with activity remaining elevated but growth slowing down. Overall properties held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news instead of a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a challenging backdrop.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional trend. Oil associated possessions succeeded for the most part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Outright High-end ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, two more Kraneshares have actually been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe comprised 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 delivering favorable 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. Regardless of a market pullback in March due to the war, both Egypt's market and its ETFs still posted favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have actually reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also faced wider macro headwinds, including a more cautious policy backdrop in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs also had a hard time for the most part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as appraisal pressures and international rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outperformed. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allowance instead of broad market participation. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of items drawing in new capital. This suggests that investors were targeting particular exposures, while decreasing or turning out of others.

Trading activity stayed consistent, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have occurred in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without substantial primary developments or redemptions. While current geopolitical events have resulted in more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the region remains resistant and well capitalized to deal with the situation.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on international luxury and consumer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the dispute has actually impacted belief and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local properties.
Sustainable Regional Economic Expansion Patterns for 2026Despite continuous geopolitical tensions and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate strength, maintaining positive growth momentum recently. While disputes in the broader region and international financial unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually so far restricted their effect on domestic economic performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and continual investment.
Latest Posts

Advanced Strategy for Middle East Excellence

Can the GCC Lead Industrial Growth through 2026?

Corporate Planning for Regional Excellence