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The Strategic Benefits of Advanced Strategy Intelligence
Expert Advice Regarding Managing Regional Market Complexity
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Notify technique with proof: Use independent data on market confidence, growth, and client demand to guide your tactical direction. Verify investment strategies: Make sure resource allocation and efforts are backed by trustworthy market insight. Accelerate positive decisions: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach contract rapidly and take definitive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Passage (IMEC) Development Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces international financial ties with 26 strategic contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign complimentary trade pact 'very soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to at least double annual US investments over next years," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest investor," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are going into a specifying cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is greater. Danger is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will significantly figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall back. In action, Climb Club, a presence launchpad curating gain access to and chances for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new month-to-month boardroom discussion convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board professionals to take a look at the real pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Priorities Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber resilience Long-lasting worth creation and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent 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 an assembling of executives contributing straight to governance, risk oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a repeating forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reputable female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to join the discussion. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the most recent insights, trends, and techniques delivered straight to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
Total possessions held broadly steady over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital release. Worldwide macro conditions set a tough backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the marketplace was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. In general, the information shows a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of items.
Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular country direct exposures and products, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching new highs amid higher oil rates, as well as its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt provided 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 positive returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have actually improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise faced wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more mindful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical tensions and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as valuation pressures and international rate dynamics weighed on performance.
The petrochemical ETF substantially exceeded. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly concentrated, showing selective allocation rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs tape-recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of items attracting new capital. This shows that investors were targeting specific direct exposures, while lowering or turning out of others.

Trading activity stayed steady, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have actually happened in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without considerable primary productions or redemptions. While current geopolitical occasions have actually led to more monetary pressure on GCC countries, the area stays resilient and well capitalized to deal with the scenario.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic direct exposure focused on worldwide high-end and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has actually affected sentiment and rates during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional assets.
In spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate strength, keeping positive growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the broader region and international economic unpredictability stay a structural restriction, GCC nations have actually so far restricted their influence on domestic economic efficiency through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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