Decoding the Future of MENA Financial Markets, MENA Market Lab

Denis Collot

Decoding the Future of MENA Financial Markets

MENA Market Lab

Decoding the future of Middle East and North Africa Financial markets

Cross Asset Strategy

<ul><li>Israel extends the conflict to Lebanon.</li><li>Strong non-oil PMI’s across GCC, pre-Iran war.                                                                                 </li><li>Muted reaction on GCC FX markets.  </li></ul>

Israel extends the conflict to Lebanon.Strong non-oil PMI’s across GCC, pre-Iran war.                                                                                 Muted reaction on GCC FX markets.  

Equity Capital Markets and Advisory Business, Auctus Advisors

Auctus Advisors

Equity Capital Markets and Advisory Business

Auctus Advisors is a specialist Equity Capital Markets and Advisory business with a focus in the Energy Sector. The partners have complementary skill sets, with decades of experience across Equity Capital Markets, Investment Banking and the Energy industry. We have worked at Société Générale, Canaccord Capital, BMO Capital Markets and Schlumberger. Most recently we have worked together for many years at GMP FirstEnergy. Auctus has been set up at the beginning of a new decade in which we see significant opportunities in the Energy space. Globally, demand for energy is at record levels and continues to grow. Conversely, investment in traditional energy sources has been severely constrained. We believe this imbalance creates opportunities for both companies and investors. Auctus provides Corporate Broking, Equity Research and Investment Banking services.

Thematic (Sector/Industry)

<ul><li>AUCTUS PUBLICATIONS ________________________________________ ADX Energy (ADX AU)C; Target price of C$0.20 per share: Gas to surface at Welchau – Hydrocarbon gas (Methane - CH4) was observed at surface from the Reifling Formation for the first time within the shallowest part of the Welchau anticline following acidization.</li><li>See website for full report Condor Energies (CDR CN)C; Target price of C$5.60 per share: Strong well test results point to meaningful reserves upgrade – The K‑45 vertical well encountered 19.9 metres of net carbonate reservoir across four distinct intervals.</li><li>Reservoir quality in the primary pay zone exceeded pre‑drill expectations, delivering an average porosity of 16%, with localized streaks surpassing 20%.</li></ul>

AUCTUS PUBLICATIONS ________________________________________ ADX Energy (ADX AU)C; Target price of C$0.20 per share: Gas to surface at Welchau – Hydrocarbon gas (Methane - CH4) was observed at surface from the Reifling Formation for the first time within the shallowest part of the Welchau anticline following acidization.See website for full report Condor Energies (CDR CN)C; Target price of C$5.60 per share: Strong well test results point to meaningful reserves upgrade – The K‑45 vertical well encountered 19.9 metres of net carbonate reservoir across four distinct intervals.Reservoir quality in the primary pay zone exceeded pre‑drill expectations, delivering an average porosity of 16%, with localized streaks surpassing 20%.

Head of Research and Global Chief Strategist, Steno Research

Andreas Steno

Head of Research and Global Chief Strategist

Macro and Geopolitical Research House

Steno Research

Steno Research is a new macro and geopolitical research house. We are based out of Copenhagen, Denmark, but have an international team and a strong network of sources and partners around the world. The team is lead by Andreas Steno, previous global head of strategy at Nordea Bank, and Mikkel Rosenvold, former chief consultant in the Danish Ministry of Finance.

<ul><li>Today, I am going to address three main topics of concern for investors given the current conflicting signals from the US economy.</li><li>These are the key questions I will address, and I will summarize both the pros and cons of each viewpoint, including my own bottom line: Is liquidity no longer improving, but rather at risk of weakening in the coming months? Is the economy accelerating rather than slowing? Is the commodity complex heavily undervalued or overvalued?</li><li>The equity rotation paired with the sharp sell-off in Tech has had me thinking, and we therefore need to litmus-test every corner of our current thesis. Follow along below.</li></ul>

Today, I am going to address three main topics of concern for investors given the current conflicting signals from the US economy.These are the key questions I will address, and I will summarize both the pros and cons of each viewpoint, including my own bottom line: Is liquidity no longer improving, but rather at risk of weakening in the coming months? Is the economy accelerating rather than slowing? Is the commodity complex heavily undervalued or overvalued?The equity rotation paired with the sharp sell-off in Tech has had me thinking, and we therefore need to litmus-test every corner of our current thesis. Follow along below.

Steno Signals #109 – What if We Are All Wrong on Liquidity, Rates and Commodities?

<ul><li>After a tricky few days, we have started gaining substantial traction in our portfolio again over the past 1-2 trading days.</li><li>Risk assets seem to be stabilizing, with crypto leading a new bull wave, while metals are selling off right, left, and center alongside a turning tide in the USD versus Asian FX and Lat-Am FX overall.</li><li>Over the week, our biggest concern, given our current tilt in industrial metals, is that manufacturing rebounds faster than anticipated by many.</li></ul>

After a tricky few days, we have started gaining substantial traction in our portfolio again over the past 1-2 trading days.Risk assets seem to be stabilizing, with crypto leading a new bull wave, while metals are selling off right, left, and center alongside a turning tide in the USD versus Asian FX and Lat-Am FX overall.Over the week, our biggest concern, given our current tilt in industrial metals, is that manufacturing rebounds faster than anticipated by many.

Portfolio Watch: Here Comes the Metals Meltdown...

<ul><li>Hello everyone, and welcome back to our weekly positioning watch.</li><li>The debates about whether the US is heading for a recession are still touring the charts, as the labor market and other economic data soften back towards pre-pandemic levels.</li><li>However, while some might be uncomfortable watching the US economy slow more than anticipated, the lack of ringing alarm bells and Powell’s recent victory lap on inflation have greenlighted markets to price in a soft landing as a 95-99% probability event by now when looking across positioning data.</li></ul>

Hello everyone, and welcome back to our weekly positioning watch.The debates about whether the US is heading for a recession are still touring the charts, as the labor market and other economic data soften back towards pre-pandemic levels.However, while some might be uncomfortable watching the US economy slow more than anticipated, the lack of ringing alarm bells and Powell’s recent victory lap on inflation have greenlighted markets to price in a soft landing as a 95-99% probability event by now when looking across positioning data.

Positioning Watch – The Soft Landing Is Moving Towards a Recovery Trade

Azerbaijan
Insights on Azerbaijan

Middle East FX & Egypt, March 6th 2026

Israel extends the conflict to Lebanon. Strong non-oil PMI’s across GCC, pre-Iran war. Muted reaction on GCC FX markets.

MENA Market Lab

AUCTUS ON FRIDAY - 20.02.2026

AUCTUS PUBLICATIONS ________________________________________ ADX Energy (ADX AU)C; Target price of C$0.20 per share: Gas to surface at Welchau –...

Auctus Advisors

Steno Signals #109 – What if We Are All Wrong on Liquidity, Rates and Commodities?

I am going to address three main topics of concern for investors given the current conflicting signals from the US economy.

Steno Research

Portfolio Watch: Here Comes the Metals Meltdown...

After a tricky few days, we have started gaining substantial traction in our portfolio again over the past 1-2 trading days.

Steno Research

Positioning Watch – The Soft Landing Is Moving Towards a Recovery Trade

Overall positioning and sentiment indicators are starting to diverge, though. Most indicators show continued support for risk assets in H2.

Steno Research