Emerging Future Trends Defining the 2026 Regional Market

El Houni asked the speakers to share what keeps them "on-point" at work and what recommendations they have for the audience. Hamad Al Hajri, CEO and Creator of Snoonu stated it was "essential to build limits" in between work and personal life and take brief vacations to "detach" from the workplace.

Karim Benkirane, CCO of Du, stated: "If you make the people you work with pleased, you will make the consumer delighted, who will then make the investors delighted."Ambareen Musa, CEO for Revolut GCC, stated the ability to "not worry" is the key to discovering an option for issues.

This week, we're convening more than 3000 conferences in between investors and 119 Gulf-listed companies with a combined worth of $2.4 trillion at the HSBC GCC Exchanges Conference 2026, in London. We're combining investors, companies, exchanges, and policymakers to discuss what is changing in the region, and what comes next, including the growth and continuous advancement of the Gulf's capital markets, and the area's growing function in global networks of capital and trade.

Saudi Arabia and UAE are poised to lead the Gulf area's financial expansion in 2026, supported by strong private-sector performance, resistant domestic demand and renewed investment momentum, according to the most current ICAEW Economic Insight Q4 2025 report, produced by Oxford Economics. The GCC is anticipated to outperform most global areas peers next year, with local GDP forecast to grow by 4.4%. Throughout the GCC, non-energy activity is predicted to expand by 4.1% in 2026, driven by strong labour markets, enhancing credit conditions and increasing financial investment in technology and AI-related infrastructure.

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Oil revenues will be under pressure in the first half of 2026, production is expected to increase again in the 2nd half of 2026, supporting the region's medium-term outlook, it stated. Saudi Arabia will stay a significant factor to GCC momentum, with GDP projection to grow 4.3% in 2026.

Growth will be supported by industrial growth and policy reforms, including alleviated foreign ownership guidelines that aim to stimulate additional investment. The financial deficit is predicted to expand to 5.6% of GDP next year amid softer oil rates, while the recent five-year rent freeze in Riyadh aims to reduce inflationary pressures, though it might constrain future real estate supply.

Strong domestic fundamentalsThe UAE is also placed for another strong year of efficiency, with GDP forecast to rise 5.6% in 2026 as non-oil sectors continue to broaden. Tourist, trade and monetary services remain crucial growth motorists, supported by population growth and sustained domestic demand. Dubai's economy grew 4.4% in the first half of 2025, showing broad-based non-oil strength.

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Oil production is anticipated to get once again in the second half of 2026, matching continuous financial investment in facilities, innovation and worldwide trade partnerships. Hanadi Khalife, the Head of Middle East, ICAEW, said: "This quarter's outlook strengthens how far the GCC has can be found in structure diverse, resilient and globally competitive economies.

Scott Livermore, ICAEW Economic Advisor, and Chief Financial Expert and Managing Director, Oxford Economics Middle East, stated: "Saudi Arabia and the UAE are entering 2026 with strong foundations. Saudi non-oil activity is acquiring rate, supported by robust demand and increasing financial investment, even as financial pressures increase.""The UAE continues to take advantage of strong domestic fundamentals, a sharp uplift in federal government spending and sustained diversity efforts.

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GCC nations are rotating towards a technique of 'resilience over expansion' going into 2026, as the region gets ready for a global landscape defined by softer oil costs, geopolitical fragmentation, and the rapid shift to an AI-enabled economy. According to a new local outlook by PwC, the GCC is moving to insulate its growth from external shocks by deepening international trade integration, securing industrial supply chains, and carrying out a decisive shift from technology aspiration to functional implementation.

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Negotiations for Free Trade Contracts with China, the EU, and Japan are advancing, while talks with the UK have actually gotten in last preparing stages. The area is significantly positioning itself as a main hub for east-west trade through the IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Passage (IMEC). To support domestic production, protecting critical minerals has ended up being a strategic top priority.