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Capital is tighter. And the quality of conference room judgment will increasingly identify which organisations sustain development and which fall behind. In response, Climb Club, a visibility launchpad curating gain access to and opportunities for board- and C-level women, in cooperation with BusinessDay, is releasing a new month-to-month boardroom dialogue convening accomplished African female executives who actively serve at the greatest levels of governance and business leadership and who are members of Climb Club.
This inaugural session unites board specialists to analyze the genuine pressures forming board programs today: INSIDE THE BOARDROOM: The Strategic Risks and Top Priorities Forming 2026 Financial discipline in constrained markets Developing regulative and governance expectations Innovation disruption and cyber resilience Long-lasting worth development and sustainability imperatives Management decisions boards must prioritise heading into 2026 Climb members and speakers include: Moderator 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, danger oversight, and strategic direction within their organisations. Through this partnership, Ascent Club and BusinessDay are purposefully producing a recurring online forum that surface areas board-level insight, enhances reliable female governance voices, and expands access to the tactical thinking emerging from Africa's boardrooms.
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The GCC ETF market gotten in Q1 2026 in a consolidation stage, with activity remaining elevated however growth slowing down. Overall properties held broadly constant over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful brand-new capital release. Global macro conditions set a tough background.
The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with a total AUM of $9.35 billion (as of Q1 2026). Efficiency across the market was broadly negative, with only 13 ETFs providing favorable returns compared to 26 in decline. In general, the data reflects a market that is active but narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of items.
Performance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of distinctive winners, instead of broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in particular nation exposures and commodities, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries like Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt were resilient during the quarter. Saudi Arabia's oil direct exposure supported its regional market, with Aramco reaching brand-new highs in the middle of higher oil prices, as well as its continued capability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which remains open.
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 continuous Middle East conflict and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector likewise dealt with more comprehensive macro headwinds, consisting of a more cautious policy backdrop in China and global risk-off belief driven by geopolitical tensions and greater energy costs. Thematic ETFs also struggled for the many part, particularly those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as assessment pressures and global rate dynamics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF considerably outperformed. Flows in Q1 2026 were modest and highly focused, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market participation. Regardless of weak performance, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a little number of items drawing in new capital. This suggests that financiers were targeting particular exposures, while minimizing or turning out of others.
Trading activity remained 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 taken place in the secondary market, allowing investors to change positions without significant primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, adding a niche thematic exposure concentrated on international high-end and consumer brands. 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 launch in April pending a last approval from ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We anticipate more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC throughout 2026. While the conflict has actually affected sentiment and prices during the quarter, it has actually driven more volume and interest in local assets.
Assessing the Possible of Saudi Arabia's Emerging Urban HubsDespite ongoing geopolitical stress and security risks throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to demonstrate durability, keeping positive growth momentum recently. While conflicts in the wider region and worldwide financial unpredictability stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have actually up until now restricted their influence on domestic economic performance through strong fiscal positions, policy continuity, and sustained investment.
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