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Notify technique with evidence: Usage independent information on market self-confidence, development, and client demand to assist your tactical direction. Verify investment plans: Make sure resource allowance and initiatives are backed by reputable market insight. Speed up confident decisions: Gear up members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take decisive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly figure out which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In action, Ascent Club, a visibility launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level females, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is launching a brand-new month-to-month conference room discussion convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and business management and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session brings together board professionals to examine the genuine pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Threats and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber durability Long-term value creation and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers include: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling 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, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately producing a repeating forum that surface areas board-level insight, amplifies trustworthy female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the conversation. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the current insights, trends, and methods delivered directly to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the forefront of what's next.
Overall possessions held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant new capital release. Worldwide macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance across the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering favorable returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the information reflects a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity focused in a small subset of items.
Navigating GCC Market Strategy in 2026Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in particular country exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs in the middle of higher oil prices, in addition to its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt delivered strong efficiency in January and February. Regardless of 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 dispute and resulting energy shock have actually reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise faced wider macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as evaluation pressures and international rate characteristics weighed on performance.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market participation. In spite of weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items drawing in new capital.
Trading activity remained steady, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have occurred in the secondary market, enabling investors to adjust positions without significant primary developments or redemptions. While recent geopolitical occasions have actually led to more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the region remains resistant and well capitalized to deal with the circumstance.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic exposure focused on worldwide high-end and consumer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has actually affected belief and rates during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional properties.
Navigating the 2026 GCC Economic Environment for LeadersRegardless of continuous geopolitical tensions and security risks throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show resilience, preserving favorable growth momentum in the last few years. While disputes in the larger area and worldwide financial uncertainty stay a structural restraint, GCC nations have actually so far limited their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual investment.
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