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Notify method with proof: Use independent data on market confidence, development, and customer demand to guide your strategic instructions. Verify investment strategies: Ensure resource allocation and initiatives are backed by reliable market insight. Speed up confident choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach contract quickly and take decisive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will significantly figure out which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In reaction, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level females, in collaboration with BusinessDay, is releasing a new monthly boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the highest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session combines board professionals to examine the genuine pressures shaping board agendas today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Threats and Priorities Forming 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disturbance and cyber strength Long-lasting value development and sustainability imperatives Leadership choices boards should prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers consist of: Mediator 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 directly to governance, risk oversight, and strategic instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, magnifies reliable female governance voices, and broadens access to the strategic thinking emerging from Africa's conference rooms.
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Overall assets held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a significant new capital release. International macro conditions set a difficult background.
The outcome was a quarter defined by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, instead of a clear directional trend. Oil related possessions did well for the many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Absolute High-end ETF launched on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Likewise in Q1, 2 more Kraneshares have been authorized for launch by the Capital Market Authority (CMA) and will be authorized by the Abu Dhabi Stock Market (ADX). The GCC ETF universe made up 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Performance throughout the market was broadly negative, with just 13 ETFs providing favorable 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 small subset of items.
Key GCC Market Research Insights for 2026Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular country exposures and products, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Nations like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resistant during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching new highs in the middle of higher oil costs, along with its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
Egypt delivered 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 conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities in between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off sentiment driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy prices. Thematic ETFs likewise struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as evaluation pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on performance.
Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, showing selective allowance rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of items bring in new capital.
Trading activity remained stable, with average 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, concentrated in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. The majority of activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, allowing financiers to adjust positions without significant primary productions or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, including a specific niche thematic exposure focused on international luxury and consumer brands. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development relating to ETFs in the GCC. We expect more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has affected sentiment and costs during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local assets.
Ways to Utilize Market Intelligence for 2026 GrowthIn spite of ongoing geopolitical stress and security risks across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate strength, maintaining favorable development momentum recently. While conflicts in the wider area and global financial unpredictability remain a structural restriction, GCC countries have so far restricted their effect on domestic economic efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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