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Notify strategy with evidence: Usage independent data on market self-confidence, growth, and customer demand to guide your strategic instructions. Confirm investment plans: Guarantee resource allowance and initiatives are backed by credible market insight. Accelerate positive choices: Equip members of your executive group with clear, actionable insight to reach arrangement quickly and take decisive action.
1 GCC, "HE GCCSG: The FTA in between the GCC and the UK is a Major Strategic Chance to Elevate Economic Relations to New Horizons," October 20252 GCC, "Joint Declaration on Economic Cooperation In Between the Association of the Southeast Asian Countries (ASEAN) and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)," Might 2025 3 IMEC, "India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC) Progress Update," April 20254 WAM, "UAE's CEPA program reinforces worldwide economic ties with 26 tactical arrangements," March 20255 Muscat Daily, "Oman, India set to sign free trade pact 'soon'," September 20256 India Embassy Qatar, "India-Qatar Bilateral Relations," June 20257 Reuters, "Qatar's QIA prepares to a minimum of double annual US investments over next years," May 2025; WAM, "US$ 110 billion in UAE financial investments in Africa position country as world's fourth-largest financier," October 2025; Whitehouse, "Fact Sheet: President Donald J.
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Total possessions held broadly stable over the quarter, while trading levels pointed to continued repositioning and as a response to geopolitical news rather than a meaningful new capital release. Worldwide macro conditions set a difficult backdrop.
The GCC ETF universe consisted of 39 ETFs with an overall AUM of $9.35 billion (since Q1 2026). Efficiency across the marketplace was broadly unfavorable, with only 13 ETFs delivering favorable returns compared to 26 in decrease. In general, the data shows a market that is active however narrow, with capital and liquidity concentrated in a little subset of items.
Navigating the 2026 GCC Corporate LandscapePerformance in Q1 2026 was driven by a narrow group of idiosyncratic winners, rather than broad market strength. The leading ETFs were concentrated in particular country direct exposures and commodities, particularly Turkey, Saudi petrochemicals, gold, and Egypt. Countries 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 amidst higher oil prices, as well as its continued ability to export oil through the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, which stays open.
Egypt provided strong efficiency in January and February. Despite 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 dispute and resulting energy shock have improved the outlook for emerging market equities between the oil-haves and the oil-have-nots.
The sector also faced wider macro headwinds, consisting of a more careful policy backdrop in China and international risk-off belief driven by geopolitical stress and greater energy rates. Thematic ETFs Had a hard time for the a lot of part, especially those connected to carbon and high-growth innovation, as valuation pressures and worldwide rate characteristics weighed on efficiency.
The petrochemical ETF substantially exceeded. Circulations in Q1 2026 were modest and extremely concentrated, reflecting selective allocation rather than broad market involvement. Despite weak efficiency, ETFs recorded $27.1 million in net inflows, with just a small number of items attracting brand-new capital. This indicates that investors were targeting particular exposures, while minimizing or rotating out of others.
Trading activity remained stable, with typical 30-day volumes around 33,000 shares, focused in a handful of bigger and more liquid ETFs. A lot of activity appears to have actually taken place in the secondary market, allowing financiers to change positions without substantial primary creations or redemptions.
In January, Boreas introduced its S&P Global High-end UCITS ETF, including a niche thematic exposure focused on worldwide high-end and customer brand names. ETFs by the CMA for cross-listing on ADX.
Q1 2026 showed some progress associating with ETFs in the GCC. We expect more global and thematic ETFs to list in the GCC during 2026. While the dispute has actually impacted belief and rates throughout the quarter, it has driven more volume and interest in local possessions.
How to Utilize GCC Research for 2026 SuccessRegardless of continuous geopolitical stress and security risks throughout the Middle East, the economies of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) have continued to show durability, keeping favorable growth momentum recently. While disputes in the broader region and global financial uncertainty stay a structural constraint, GCC nations have up until now limited their influence on domestic financial efficiency through strong financial positions, policy connection, and sustained financial investment.
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