The total value of mergers and acquisitions deals in the Middle East grew 19% and reached $37.4 billion during the first nine months of 2016, according to a recent report by Freeman Consulting and Thomson Reuters.
During this nine-month period, investment banking fees grow 11% to $581 million, the report indicated.
Middle Eastern equity and equity-related issuance declined 72% during the first nine months of 2016 compared to the same period in 2015, and totalled $1.5 billion, said Nadim Najjar, managing director at Thomson Reuters.
He also said that this is the lowest level for equity capital markets issuance during this period since 2004.
Meanwhile, debt issuance increased by 75% year-on-year to $43.8 billion, the highest level in the first nine months of the year for Debt Capital Markets (DCM) issuance since records began in 1980, added Najjar.