{"id":696838,"date":"2026-04-28T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2026-04-28T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/?p=696838"},"modified":"2026-04-28T02:46:01","modified_gmt":"2026-04-28T02:46:01","slug":"mena-ma-activity-plunges-in-1q-2026-while-global-outlook-appears-rosier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enterpriseam.com\/egypt\/2026\/04\/28\/mena-ma-activity-plunges-in-1q-2026-while-global-outlook-appears-rosier\/","title":{"rendered":"MENA M&A activity plunges in 1Q 2026, while global outlook appears rosier"},"content":{"rendered":"

MENA M&A activity fell 74% y-o-y in value terms in 1Q 2026<\/strong>, falling to USD 18.8 bn as the US and Israel\u2019s war on Iran dampened market sentiment, according to LSEG data<\/a>. <\/p>\n

It was inbound M&A in the region that tripped up the most during the quarter<\/strong>, falling 90% y-o-y to a 10-year low of USD 4.6 bn. Meanwhile, outbound M&A also fell, albeit at a much softer pace of 55% y-o-y to USD 11.5 bn. That\u2019s the lowest value of M&A transactions originating from the region in two years.<\/p>\n

The big fish of the quarter:<\/strong> The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority\u2019s (Adia) sale of its entire<\/a>18.4% stake<\/a> in Pension Ins. Corporation Group, which closed last quarter, topped the charts as the largest M&A transaction with any MENA involvement. The transaction was valued at some USD 4 bn. Other major transactions in the quarter included ePointZero Holding\u2019s USD 2.3 bn acquisition<\/a> of a 100% stake in US-based energy firm Traverse Midstream Partners, as well as Aluminium Bahrain\u2019s USD 2.2 bn acquisition<\/a> of France\u2019s Aluminium Dunkerque.<\/p>\n

Goldman Sachs took the lead as the financial adviser with the largest value and volume<\/strong> of transactions under its belt in MENA during the quarter<\/strong>, advising on three transactions worth a combined USD 34.8 bn, according to GlobalData<\/a>. Some of the largest transactions it worked on include PIF\u2019s Savvy Games Group\u2019s USD 6 bn acquisition<\/a> of Shanghai Moonton, as well as the Alba-Dunkerque takeover.<\/p>\n

Even with the downturn, it\u2019s still \u201ctoo early\u201d to extrapolate what the rest of the year holds<\/strong>, Goldman Sachs\u2019 co-head of MENA Investment Banking Jassim AlSane says. Some analysts are expecting a short-term slowdown in the dealmaking numbers amid heightened uncertainty caused by the regional conflict. Amid the uncertainty, M&A activity will shift towards safe havens that will help hedge against inflation and volatility, AlSane said. \u201cThe regional fundamentals remain intact, and if anything, the economies in the GCC have proven their resilience despite the volatility in geopolitics,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n

The global outlook is looking promising<\/p>\n

A rosier view?<\/strong> Pure M&A volumes are expected to rise to USD 3.8 tn in 2026, surpassing 2021 and 2025 levels, Tim Ingrassia, co-chairman of global M&A in investment banking at GS, said in a recent note<\/a>. \u201cTo get a measure of \u2018pure M&A volume,\u2019 Ingrassia omits spinoffs, private company funding rounds, and [transactions] involving special purpose acquisition companies, or SPACs,\u201d the note says.<\/p>\n

The \u201ctyranny of terminal value\u201d is helping to drive that global activity:<\/strong> With AI disrupting long-term business models, investors are no longer buying based on the current business environment, but rather based on their predictions of a stock\u2019s worth in the future \u2014 anywhere between six to infinity years down the line, Ingrassia says. \u201cTerminal value is one of the biggest contributors to why buyers need to participate in M&A,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile, private equity is facing a structural crisis of stuck capital, as fund <\/strong>distributions are at a 16-year low<\/strong>, according to data from MSCI and Global Banking & Markets. Firms are facing mounting pressure to accelerate the sale of portfolio companies and boost returns to their investors, Ingrassia notes. <\/p>\n

\n

MARKETS THIS MORNING- <\/p>\n

Asia-Pacific markets are mixed in early trading this morning as investors sit tight, awaiting earnings season and monetary policy decisions from the US, Japan, UK, and Europe. Japan\u2019s Nikkei and the Hang Seng are in the red, while the Kospi and Shanghai Composite are looking at gains. <\/p>\n

\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

EGX30<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

52,719<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.6% (YTD: +26.0%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

USD (CBE)<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Buy 52.49<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Sell 52.63<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

USD (CIB<\/strong>) <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Buy 52.40<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

Sell 52.50<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Interest rates (CBE)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

19.00% deposit<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

20.00% lending<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Tadawul<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

11,169<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.4% (YTD: +6.5%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

ADX<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

9,828<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.4% (YTD: -1.7%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

DFM<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5,871<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.3% (YTD: -2.9%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

S&P 500<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

7,174<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.1% (YTD: +4.8%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

FTSE 100<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

10,321<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.6% (YTD: +3.9%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Euro Stoxx 50<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

5,860<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.4% (YTD: +1.1%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Brent crude<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

USD 108.23<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+2.8%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Natural gas (Nymex)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

USD 2.51<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-1.7%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

Gold <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

USD 4,706<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.3%<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

BTC<\/strong> <\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

USD 77,047<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-1.7% (YTD: -12.1%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

S&P Egypt Sovereign Bond Index<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

1,047<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

+0.1% (YTD: +5.4%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

151.77<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-0.1% (YTD: -0.1%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n

\n

<\/use><\/svg><\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n

VIX (Volatility Index)<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

18.02<\/p>\n<\/td>\n

\n

-3.7%% (YTD: +24.2%)<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

\n

THE CLOSING BELL-<\/p>\n

The EGX30<\/strong> rose 0.6% at <\/strong>yesterday\u2019s<\/strong> close<\/strong> on turnover of EGP 8.0 bn (12.2% above the 90-day average). Local investors were the sole net buyers. The index is up 26.0% YTD.<\/p>\n

In the green:<\/strong> Emaar Misr (+3.5%), Orascom Construction (+2.7%), and EFG Holding (+2.5%).<\/p>\n

In the red:<\/strong> Valmore Holding -EGP (-7.0%), Valmore Holding -USD (-5.4%), and Juhayna (-3.0%).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Inbound transactions tumbled to their lowest levels in a decade, while outbound M&A hit a two-year low<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":696839,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"newspack_ads_suppress_ads":false,"newspack_popups_has_disabled_popups":false,"newspack_sponsor_sponsorship_scope":"","newspack_sponsor_native_byline_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_native_category_display":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_style":"inherit","newspack_sponsor_underwriter_placement":"inherit","ep_exclude_from_search":false,"_primary_brand":0,"newspack_featured_image_position":"","newspack_post_subtitle":"","newspack_article_summary_title":"Overview:","newspack_article_summary":"","newspack_hide_updated_date":false,"newspack_show_updated_date":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7210],"tags":[72,119,122],"brand":[],"newspack_spnsrs_tax":[],"class_list":["post-696838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-planet-finance","tag-enterpriseam","tag-financial-markets","tag-planet-finance","wpautop","entry"],"acf":{"mongo_id":"93dbb2bb-785e-4758-8d39-a6cdf8d6232a","order":"11","is_powered_by":true,"story_type":"1","photo_url":"https:\/\/ent.news\/2026\/4\/1401.jpg","photo_position":"above","homepage_title":"","full_issue_title":"A tale of two M&A markets","related_issue":[696819],"teaser":"Inbound transactions tumbled to their lowest levels in a decade, while outbound M&A hit a two-year low"},"yoast_head":"\nMENA M&A activity plunges in 1Q 2026, while global outlook appears rosier - 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