All Categories
Featured
Table of Contents
Notify technique with proof: Usage independent data on market self-confidence, development, and client demand to guide your strategic direction. Confirm investment strategies: Make sure resource allowance and efforts are backed by credible market insight. Speed up confident choices: Gear up members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement quickly and take definitive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will progressively figure out which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In response, Ascent Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and chances for board- and C-level ladies, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is introducing a new month-to-month conference room discussion assembling 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 specialists to examine the real pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Dangers and Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulative and governance expectations Technology disruption and cyber durability Long-term value production and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers include: Mediator 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 strategic direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are deliberately creating a repeating online forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies credible female governance voices, and expands access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
Get the most recent insights, trends, and strategies delivered directly to your inbox. Sign up with Everest Group's newsletter to remain at the leading edge of what's next.
Total possessions held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful new capital release. International macro conditions set a challenging background.
The outcome was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional pattern. Oil related possessions did well for the a lot of part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Outright High-end ETF introduced on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. In Q1, 2 more Kraneshares have actually been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be approved by the Abu Dhabi Stock Exchange (ADX). The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decline. Efficiency in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength.
Egypt provided strong performance 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 actually improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also dealt with broader macro headwinds, consisting of a more cautious policy background in China and worldwide risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the many part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth technology, as appraisal pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allotment rather than broad market involvement. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of products bring in new capital.
Trading activity remained stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Most activity appears to have actually taken location in the secondary market, enabling financiers to adjust positions without significant primary creations or redemptions. While current geopolitical events have actually led to more financial pressure on GCC countries, the area stays resilient and well capitalized to deal with the situation.
In January, Boreas released its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic exposure focused on global luxury and customer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 revealed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more international and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually affected belief and costs throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Six Errors to Avoid When Entering the Saudi MarketDespite continuous geopolitical tensions and security threats throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to demonstrate durability, keeping favorable growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the broader area and global financial uncertainty stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually up until now limited their effect on domestic economic efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
Latest Posts
GCC News: Major Market Trends in 2026
Driving Regional Industrial Growth through Innovation
Optimising Corporate ROI through Advanced Business Research
