Saudi Arabia is laying the groundwork for a more agile mergers and acquisitions market, with the Capital Market Authority unveiling proposed reforms aimed at modernizing how listed companies pursue deals. At the heart of the draft framework is a proposed “shelf registration” system — a mechanism that could reshape acquisition financing in the kingdom. Under …

Saudi Regulator Moves to Rewire Dealmaking With New M&A Rulebook Read More »

Emirates NBD has opened books on a new $750 million perpetual additional tier 1 (AT1) bond, sounding out investor demand with initial price guidance around 6.75%, as Gulf banks continue to tap capital markets for hybrid funding. The planned issuance, structured as a perpetual non-call six-year (PNC6) instrument, is expected to be priced later today, …

Emirates NBD Tests Appetite for Fresh AT1 Deal With 6.75% Price Signal Read More »

The Gulf’s debt engine roared into 2026 with force, as bond and sukuk issuance across the GCC climbed to $55.04 billion in the first quarter, underscoring the region’s sustained appetite for fixed-income funding and the growing depth of its capital markets. Spread across 95 transactions, issuance volume rose 5.64% from the same period a year …

Saudi Dominates as Gulf Debt Markets Open 2026 With $55 Billion Surge Read More »

Geopolitical strain and a stalled post-Ramadan rebound combined to sap momentum from debt markets across the Middle East and North Africa in the opening quarter of 2026, with bond issuance falling 12 percent from a year earlier to $48.1 billion, according to LSEG data. The number of deals also declined 11 percent, underscoring a broader …

War Risk Chills MENA Debt Markets as First-Quarter Issuance Slips Read More »

Even amid war-driven uncertainty rattling markets across the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is pressing ahead with a message that investors appear willing to hear: the IPO machine is still running. The kingdom is preparing for its first public offering since tensions tied to the US/Israel-Iran conflict escalated, with Dar AlBalad for Business Solutions (DABS) stepping …

Saudi IPO Engine Roars Back as Riyadh Defies Regional Turbulence Read More »