Fundraising on Mena equity markets hit all-time high in 2019 – The National

Fundraising on Mena equity markets hit all-time high in 2019 – The National

Debt capital markets had their second-highest year on record, up 12 per cent on 2018 at $98.5bn, while the mergers and acquisitions market hit its highest level since 2007 as deals with an aggregate value of $130.1bn were carried out - a 127 per cent year-on-year increase.. Saudi Aramco once again played a major part in this via ts $69.1bn acquisition of a 70 per cent stake in Saudi Basic Industries Corporation from the Public Investment Fund in March.. "You had a lot of good Saudi offerings that could have come to the market but did not as everyone was waiting for Aramco," he said, citing Sulaiman Al-Habib Medical Centres Group and retail group BinDawood as two companies that are expected to make market debuts.. The fees earned by investment bankers in the region increased by 12 per cent last year to an estimated $1.2bn, Refinitiv said - the highest in over a decade.. Advisory fees earned on M&A deals were up 84 per cent, and fees from equity capital market deals increased 95 per cent.. Demand for investment bankers remains healthy, recruitment firm Michael Page said.. Alongside the mega-deals such as the Saudi Aramco IPO, "investment bankers are in