Leading the 2026 GCC Economic Environment for Executives

Inform strategy with evidence: Use independent data on market confidence, development, and client demand to direct your tactical instructions. Confirm investment plans: Ensure resource allotment and efforts are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate positive decisions: Gear up members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement quickly and take decisive action.

ANSR July GCC PRs 50DR+

Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will progressively identify which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In response, Climb Club, a visibility launchpad curating access and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new regular monthly boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Ascent Club.

Strategic Strategy for Middle East Leadership

This inaugural session brings together board specialists to examine the genuine pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Threats and Priorities Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber strength Long-term worth creation and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards need to 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.

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Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, threat oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this partnership, Climb Club and BusinessDay are intentionally creating a recurring forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and expands access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.

4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the discussion. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the most recent insights, trends, and strategies provided directly to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.

Emerging Shifts in the 2026 GCC Market

The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a combination phase, with activity remaining elevated but development slowing. Total possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Global macro conditions set a challenging background.

The outcome was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional pattern. Oil associated properties did well for the many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright High-end ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, two more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly negative, with only 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.

Advanced Strategy for GCC Excellence

Egypt provided 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 dispute and resulting energy shock have improved 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 background in China and global risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the many part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as appraisal pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.

The petrochemical ETF significantly exceeded. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, reflecting selective allotment instead of broad market involvement. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of items drawing in brand-new capital. This shows that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while minimizing or turning out of others.

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Essential Strategies for Driving Regional Sector Growth

Trading activity remained constant, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, allowing investors to adjust positions without significant main developments or redemptions.

In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide luxury and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.

Q1 2026 showed some development associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has affected belief and costs throughout the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local properties.

Despite continuous geopolitical stress and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show durability, keeping favorable development momentum in recent years. While conflicts in the wider area and international economic unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC countries have actually so far restricted their effect on domestic financial performance through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained investment.