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Notify strategy with evidence: Usage independent data on market self-confidence, development, and customer need to guide your tactical direction. Verify financial investment plans: Guarantee resource allowance 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 decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance to Raise Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Statement on Economic Cooperation In 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) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program strengthens international economic ties with 26 strategic contracts," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign open market pact 'very quickly'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to at least double yearly United States investments over next decade," Might 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position nation as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Truth Sheet: President Donald J.
Boards throughout Africa are going into a defining cycle. Capital is tighter. Scrutiny is greater. Threat is more interconnected. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly determine which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In reaction, Ascent Club, a presence launchpad curating access and chances for board- and C-level ladies, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a brand-new month-to-month conference room dialogue convening 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 combines board specialists to analyze the genuine pressures shaping board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Concerns Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Evolving regulative and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber durability Long-lasting worth development and sustainability imperatives Management choices boards need to prioritise heading into 2026 Ascent members and speakers consist of: Moderator Nnoli Akpedeye MD/CEO, Contego Servo Limited Speakers Sarah Ajose-Adeogun Handling Partner, Teasoo Consulting Ochanya R.
Deborah David CFO, Powergas It is an assembling of executives contributing directly to governance, threat oversight, and tactical direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are intentionally creating a repeating forum that surfaces board-level insight, enhances trustworthy female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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Overall possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a reaction to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital implementation. Worldwide macro conditions set a difficult background.
The outcome was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional pattern. Oil related assets succeeded for the a lot of part. On the favorable side, in January, the Boreas Outright Luxury ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, 2 more Kraneshares have been approved for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Market (ADX). The GCC ETF universe comprised 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the market was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. 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 posted positive returns for the quarter. The ongoing Middle East dispute and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also faced broader macro headwinds, including a more cautious policy backdrop in China and worldwide risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical stress and higher energy rates. Thematic ETFs Had a hard time for the most part, particularly those linked to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably surpassed. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, showing selective allotment instead of broad market involvement. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items attracting brand-new capital. This shows that investors were targeting particular exposures, while decreasing or turning out of others.
Trading activity stayed consistent, 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 occurred in the secondary market, allowing investors to adjust positions without significant primary productions or redemptions. While recent geopolitical occasions have actually led to more monetary pressure on GCC nations, the region remains resilient and well capitalized to deal with the situation.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on international luxury and customer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress relating to ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has impacted belief and rates during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in regional possessions.
Browsing the Complexities of Oman's Evolving Investment RegulationsDespite continuous geopolitical tensions and security dangers throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show durability, maintaining positive growth momentum over the last few years. While disputes in the larger area and worldwide financial unpredictability remain a structural constraint, GCC countries have so far restricted their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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