GCC
ETF trends and investment insights across the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Kuwait Active Accounts Double as Trading Value Falls 45%
Boursa Kuwait's active trading accounts surged 125% year-on-year in Q1 2026 to 48,078, though traded value fell 44.6% to KWD3.72 billion. The divergence reflects a sub-account initiative and growing institutional dominance, with Q2 showing recovery.
Three Ways to Buy Qatar, and the Local ETFs Are Much Bigger Than Wall Street’s
Qatar investors can choose between three ETFs offering Qatari equity exposure: the conventional QETF, the Shariah-compliant QATR, and the U.S.-listed QAT. The two local ETFs combined are 3.7 times larger than their U.S. counterpart, highlighting structural differences in benchmarks, fees and trading
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QATUS
Oman’s Fund Market Nearly Doubles, but the Growth is Far From Even
Oman's fund industry nearly doubled in 2025 with combined capital reaching OMR1.2 billion, driven primarily by investment funds jumping 125.4%. New executive regulations now formally recognize 11 fund categories including ETFs, venture capital, and green funds.
Al Rajhi’s New Saudi Equity ETF Starts Trading on Tadawul
Al Rajhi launched its MSCI Saudi Equity ETF on Tadawul under ticker 9413, offering Shariah-compliant exposure to over 250 Saudi companies with a competitive 0.25% expense ratio.
KSAUS
Albilad Gold ETF vs. SPDR Gold Shares (GLD): Which Gold ETF Fits Your Portfolio?
Compare Albilad Gold ETF and SPDR Gold Shares across structure, costs, performance, and accessibility. Discover which physically backed gold ETF suits GCC investors best.
GLDUS
Morgan Stanley's AI Infrastructure Thesis: Why Power Is the Next Bottleneck
Morgan Stanley identifies electricity supply as the critical bottleneck for AI expansion, projecting a 38 GW power shortfall through 2028 despite $1.4 trillion in hyperscaler capital commitments.
SpaceX Posts $7.8B in First Public Earnings as Lock-Up Period Near End
SpaceX delivered its first public earnings report on August 4, 2026, posting $7.81B in revenue and narrowing losses, though AI segment capex concerns triggered an after-hours sell-off.
AGIXUS
ADX Outperforms the Region as GCC Markets Post a Third Straight Monthly Decline
Abu Dhabi's ADX index rose 1.1% in July, bucking a regional trend as the MSCI GCC Index fell 0.7% for a third consecutive month. Kuwait's Premier Market also gained 1.53%, while most other GCC markets declined amid softer oil prices.
Aramco’s 44% Profit Jump Puts Saudi ETFs in Focus
Saudi Aramco posted a 44% profit increase to $32.7 billion in Q2 2026, driven by higher crude prices averaging $108.10/barrel. Strong cash generation and low gearing support investor returns in Saudi-focused ETFs.
UAE Banks Defy Regional Shock as Lending and Profits Keep Growing
Three major UAE banks reported stronger H1 2026 earnings with combined pre-tax profits of AED37 billion, driven by robust lending growth and fee income despite regional security challenges.
U.S. Equity Funds Extend Outflow Streak Ahead of Big Tech Earnings
U.S. equity funds extended outflows to a second consecutive week with $7.34 billion in net sales, as investors grew cautious ahead of major Big Tech earnings and rising oil prices weighed on sentiment.
Renewed US-Iran Tensions Reshape GCC ETF Performance
Renewed US-Iran tensions have reshaped GCC ETF performance, with UAE broad-market funds leading at +2.45% MTD while Qatar's QE Index ETF fell 9.0%, reflecting investor repositioning toward diversified equity and defensive fixed-income strategies.
UAEDAE