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Notify technique with evidence: Use independent information on market confidence, development, and client demand to assist your strategic direction. Confirm investment strategies: Make sure resource allowance and efforts are backed by reputable market insight. Accelerate confident choices: Equip members of your executive team with clear, actionable insight to reach agreement rapidly and take definitive action.
Capital is tighter. And the quality of boardroom judgment will increasingly identify which organisations sustain growth and which fall behind. In response, Climb Club, an exposure launchpad curating access and opportunities 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 greatest levels of governance and corporate leadership and who are members of Ascent Club.
This inaugural session brings together board specialists to analyze the real pressures forming board agendas today: INSIDE THE CONFERENCE ROOM: The Strategic Risks and Top Priorities Shaping 2026 Monetary discipline in constrained markets Progressing regulative and governance expectations Technology disturbance and cyber resilience Long-lasting worth development and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards need to 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 straight to governance, threat oversight, and tactical instructions within their organisations. Through this collaboration, Climb Club and BusinessDay are deliberately creating a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, amplifies credible 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 most current insights, trends, and techniques delivered directly to your inbox. Join Everest Group's newsletter to stay at the forefront of what's next.
Total properties held broadly consistent over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued rearranging and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital deployment. Global macro conditions set a tough background.
The result was a quarter specified by volatility, dispersion, and selective positioning, rather than a clear directional pattern. Oil associated possessions did well for the many part. On the positive side, in January, the Boreas Absolute Luxury ETF released on ADX to add more thematic ETFs. Also in Q1, two 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 (since Q1 2026). Efficiency throughout the marketplace was broadly unfavorable, with just 13 ETFs delivering positive returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the data shows a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of products.
Analysing New Market Data for Future GrowthPerformance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were focused in particular nation direct exposures and commodities, especially Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resistant throughout the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil exposure supported its local market, with Aramco reaching new highs in the middle of greater oil prices, along with its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays 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 posted favorable returns for the quarter. The continuous 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 dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, including a more careful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and higher energy costs. Thematic ETFs Struggled for the most part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth technology, as appraisal pressures and global rate characteristics weighed on performance.
Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allotment rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak performance, ETFs taped $27.1 million in net inflows, with only a little number of products bring in brand-new capital.
Trading activity stayed constant, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of larger and more liquid ETFs. Many activity appears to have taken place in the secondary market, making it possible for investors to adjust positions without considerable primary developments or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global Luxury UCITS ETF, adding a specific niche thematic direct exposure focused on global high-end and consumer brand names. Momentum continued into April with the approval of KraneShares AGIX and KWIN ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX. These funds are expected to release in April pending a final approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some development associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more worldwide and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually impacted belief and rates during the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
Despite continuous geopolitical tensions and security threats across the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have actually continued to show durability, preserving positive growth momentum over the last few years. While conflicts in the wider area and international economic uncertainty stay a structural restriction, GCC countries have actually so far limited their effect on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and continual investment.
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