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Jefferies launches "GCC 30" index to capture growth opportunities in Gulf markets Includes 30 of the most liquid Gulf companies and targets global investors and institutions Islam Yahya from Riyadh Jefferies officially launched today, Wednesday, the "Jefferies GCC 30" index, which includes 30 of the most liquid and investable listed companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, with the aim of providing a unified investment benchmark for global institutions wishing to gain exposure to the region's markets. The company confirmed that Gulf markets are gradually transforming into one of the world's most prominent investment destinations, driven by massive capital inflows, broad economic reform programs, and the growing role of financial markets in financing economic transformation. The index covers the six GCC markets and adopts a rules-based methodology weighted by free float, with a fast-entry mechanism for including new companies after initial public offerings. The index is intended to be used as a tool for building investment portfolios, as well as a basis for financial products such as exchange-traded funds, swaps, structured products, and derivatives. About $4 trillion in assets of Gulf funds Jefferies believes that the economic transformation taking place in the region goes beyond oil price cycles, with capital being redirected toward new sectors including tourism, logistics, technology, renewable energy, entertainment, and sports. The assets of sovereign wealth funds in the GCC countries are estimated at about $4 trillion, making the region one of the largest concentrations of strategic capital in the world. This financial strength coincides with the expansion of economic diversification programs, foremost among them "Saudi Vision 2030," which is reshaping spending and investment priorities and driving an increase in the contribution of non-oil sectors. The region has witnessed notable growth in foreign direct investment inflows; inflows to Saudi Arabia, for example, reached about $25 billion annually, compared with a target of $100 billion by 2030. Gulf equity markets expand beyond oil and banks The transformation has not been limited to the real economy but has extended to financial markets, which have seen expansion in the size of listed companies and diversity of sectors available to investors. The market capitalization of Saudi Tadawul rose from about $450 billion a decade ago to more than $2.7 trillion. The region has seen strong IPO activity since 2019, with increasing listings from non-energy sectors, which helped broaden the base of assets available to global investors. This coincided with the development of market infrastructure, easing of foreign ownership restrictions, modernization of settlement cycles, introduction of short-selling and securities lending mechanisms, along with the development of derivatives markets. Gulf enhances its attractiveness within emerging markets The importance of the new index comes at a time when the weight of GCC stocks in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index has risen from about 3% a decade ago to a peak of 7.2% in 2025. Despite that, Jefferies believes that international institutional investors' ownership of Gulf stocks is still below the level that reflects the scale of economic and investment transformation in the region. The company points to several factors that give the Gulf distinct characteristics within emerging markets, including the pegging of most Gulf currencies to the dollar, the strength of sovereign financial positions, the region's transformation into a net source of capital, in addition to high dividend distributions among a number of major companies. Growing domestic demand and economic reforms have also become increasing drivers of earnings growth, along with the relatively low correlation of some Gulf markets with major markets in China, India, and Latin America, giving investors an opportunity to diversify their portfolios in emerging markets. Jefferies: an investment story spanning decades Darrell McDonald, head of equities for Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Central Asia at Jefferies, said that the Gulf region represents an "investment story for an entire generation" whose implications extend over decades, despite the geopolitical tensions the region witnessed during the first half of 2026. The launch of the index comes at a time when Gulf stocks have shown an ability to maintain their gains, as Bloomberg's Gulf stocks index rose by about 2.8% since the beginning of the year, achieving annual gains for the fourth consecutive year, although its performance remained below the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. These developments, according to Jefferies' view, show the transition of Gulf investment from a story linked to oil and banks to a more diversified market, supported by new listings, government investment, private sector expansion, and global capital flows. An investment gateway for global institutions Jefferies was keen to keep the "GCC 30" methodology simple and applicable, so that the index reflects the market structure instead of re-engineering it according to pre-set investment assumptions. The index includes the financials, consumer goods, healthcare, technology, real estate, industrials, energy, and logistics sectors, with a focus on the most liquid and investable companies in the Gulf markets. Solactive handles the independent management of the index, providing the governance and transparency frameworks that global institutional investors need. According to Michael Malkoun, index strategist for the Middle East and North Africa at Jefferies, the index was designed to be a key benchmark on which exchange-traded funds, swaps, and structured products can be built, while representing the largest Gulf companies eligible for institutional investment. The launch of "GCC 30" showed a broader shift in Gulf markets, as the issue is no longer limited to attracting foreign capital, but rather to building investment tools capable of directing this money into a deeper and more diversified Gulf market, at a time when investors' bets on the economic transformation led by the region over the next decade are increasing.

Radiant World facing UK lawsuit from Jefferies-run fund. It is the first legal filing in UK courts over fallout from concerns the company provided falsified documents Published Wed, Sep 2, 2026 · 09:47 PM * Radiant World, which became one of the leading players in iron ore trading in recent years, is also facing probes in the US and Singapore. PHOTO: REUTERS COMMODITIES trader Radiant World and its founder are facing a UK lawsuit from a fund linked to Jefferies Group. LAM Trade Finance Group II filed applications in London's High Court, including one seeking an injunction, that could lead to a full lawsuit against Radiant World and Sapphire Minmetals Corporation, court records showed. Bloomberg reported in late July that several major commodity traders had moved to cut ties with Radiant World amid concerns it provided falsified documents to secure financing. Some banks have frozen its accounts or suspended credit lines, while major miners, Chinese buyers and rival trading houses have withdrawn their business. It is the first legal filing in UK courts over the fallout. There are no publicly available details of the applications filed last week and made public on Wednesday (Sep 2). Radiant World, which became one of the leading players in iron ore trading in recent years, is facing probes in the US and Singapore while Mizuho Bank has also started legal action against Radiant World at Singapore's High Court. Asean intelligence. Get insights into businesses across South-east Asia Radiant World has not been accused of wrongdoing and investigations do not always lead to charges. LAM Trade also named Radiant's founder, Pinkesh Nahar, and Sapphire's majority shareholder and chairman, Rakesh Sethi, in the pre-action applications. Sapphire was once part of Radiant World. Neither Radiant World nor a spokesperson for Jefferies responded immediately to requests for comment.

Jefferies Financial Group Inc. purchased a new position in shares of NetApp, Inc. (NASDAQ:NTAP – Free Report) in the 2nd quarter, according to its most recent disclosure with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm purchased 14,447 shares of the data storage provider’s stock, valued at approximately $2,236,000. Several other large investors have also added […]