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Notify strategy with proof: Use independent information on market confidence, growth, and customer demand to assist your tactical instructions. Validate investment plans: Ensure resource allocation and efforts are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate 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 conference room judgment will progressively identify which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In action, Climb Club, a visibility launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new monthly boardroom discussion convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and corporate management and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session combines board practitioners to analyze the genuine pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Top Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulatory and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value development and sustainability imperatives Leadership decisions boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers include: Mediator 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 straight to governance, risk oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately producing a repeating online forum that surfaces board-level insight, magnifies reputable female governance voices, and broadens access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
4 March 2026 6:00 PM WAT Zoom Register to sign up with the discussion. #InsideTheBoardroom #ExecutiveLeadership Registration Link: . Get the current insights, trends, and strategies delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the leading edge of what's next.
Overall possessions held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful new capital implementation. Global macro conditions set a challenging background.
The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs providing positive returns compared to 26 in decrease. Overall, the information shows a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a small subset of items.
Corporate Planning for Regional LeadershipPerformance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in specific country exposures and products, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were durable throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs in the middle of greater oil costs, as well as 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 posted favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have reshaped the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more mindful policy background in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs Had a hard time for the many part, especially those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as appraisal pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF significantly exceeded. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly concentrated, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products bring in brand-new capital. This suggests that investors were targeting specific exposures, while decreasing or rotating out of others.

Trading activity remained consistent, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have actually taken place in the secondary market, allowing financiers to adjust positions without considerable main developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas launched its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on global luxury and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some development connecting to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the conflict has actually affected belief and prices throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Despite ongoing geopolitical stress and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show durability, keeping positive development momentum in the last few years. While disputes in the broader region and international economic uncertainty stay a structural restraint, GCC countries have actually so far restricted their influence on domestic financial performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained financial investment.
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