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Notify strategy with evidence: Use independent data on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to guide your strategic instructions. Verify financial investment strategies: Guarantee resource allocation and initiatives are backed by reliable market insight. Accelerate confident choices: Gear up members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement rapidly and take definitive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In action, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new regular monthly boardroom dialogue assembling accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session brings together board specialists to examine the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Concerns Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulatory and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber durability Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: 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, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately producing a repeating forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reputable female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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The GCC ETF market entered Q1 2026 in a combination stage, with activity remaining raised however growth slowing down. Overall properties held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels indicated continued repositioning and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital release. Global macro conditions set a difficult background.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across 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.
Egypt delivered strong performance in January and February. Despite 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 in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also faced wider macro headwinds, including a more careful policy background in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy prices. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the most part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as valuation pressures and international rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outperformed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, showing selective allowance instead of broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items attracting new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting particular exposures, while lowering or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have occurred in the secondary market, making it possible for financiers to adjust positions without significant main creations or redemptions. While current geopolitical occasions have actually led to more financial pressure on GCC countries, the region remains durable and well capitalized to handle the scenario.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic direct exposure focused on international high-end and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has affected sentiment and costs during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in regional properties.
In spite of ongoing geopolitical tensions and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show resilience, preserving positive growth momentum in the last few years. While conflicts in the broader region and global economic unpredictability stay a structural restriction, GCC countries have actually so far limited their influence on domestic economic performance through strong financial positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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