Global firms, investors in share sale rush as middle east conflict erupts

Global Equity Share Sales Surge as Middle East Conflict Sparks Market Volatility

Market Reactions and Major Equity Deals Amid Middle East Tensions

By Charlie Conchie

LONDON, March 4 (Reuters) - Companies and investors, including from the Gulf, kicked off large share sales raising tens of billions of dollars in recent days as tensions in the Middle East erupted into conflict, according to advisers and new figures. 

Global Equity Deal Volume and Pace

Around $20 billion worth of equity deals were struck globally in the three days of trading from Friday to Tuesday, according to LSEG data, making up nearly 16% of the roughly $130 billion of deals launched so far this year. The pace of dealmaking over that period was nearly triple compared to the average daily amount over the prior two months.

Last week was the busiest so far this year for global equity capital markets activity, with over $25 billion worth of transactions, according to the data. Dealmaking proceeds are up 60% so far this year compared to the same period of 2025.

Investor Strategies and Motivations

Some firms and their shareholders have tapped equity investors before markets potentially sour further and hamper the ability to raise capital, three equity advisers told Reuters.

Notable Share Sales and Participants

A group of shareholders in U.S.-listed medical firm Medline including the Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA), Blackstone and Carlyle was among those looking to offload shares in the market. The deal could be worth around $3.4 billion and will add to the tally struck since Friday when it prices. Some other companies were in the market raising funds for planned takeovers. ADIA declined to comment. Medline and the other investors did not respond to requests for comment on the timing of the sale.

Market Volatility and Decision-Making

Impact of Middle East Conflict on Market Sentiment

JUST GET ON WITH THINGS

Markets have been roiled by the U.S. and Israel’s attacks on Iran and Tehran's strikes across the region.

Expert Commentary and Company Responses

"If you're confronted with an option where you've got very strong visibility over an outcome and it's available, in an environment where volatility is picking up, it's probably the right thing to take what's in front of you," said Tom Johnson, global head of capital markets at Barclays, who worked on a $2.5 billion raise for Britain's Rosebank Industries on Tuesday.

"If you think the market is strong enough to do these deals, there's a sense you should just get on with things," he added, referring to the wider uptick in sales since Friday.

Rosebank's raise was not accelerated by conflict in the Middle East and moved according to predetermined timelines, Johnson said. A Rosebank spokesperson said the fundraise was announced at least a fortnight before the conflict began and the company was keen to move the process to deal completion quickly.

Other Major Transactions

France's Engie raised 3 billion euros ($3.49 billion) on Friday to help finance its takeover of UK Power Networks. The decision to launch the deal on Friday was in part to get ahead of any potential disruption, as well as a strong market reception and numerous inquiries from investors, Alexis Le Touze, head of equity capital markets for France at BNP Paribas, told Reuters.

"If things in the market are getting worse and worse, you may not be in a position to finance your project or finance your acquisition,” he added, referring to the wider flurry of dealmaking since Friday.

An Engie spokesperson said a positive response from investors and favourable market conditions were the primary reasons it pressed ahead with the capital raise.

Future Outlook for Equity Markets

"If we have market volatility like this for a number of weeks, then it's very possible that transactional activity will slow down, but at the end of the day, we have a lot of clients that still need to do deals," said Tom Swerling, global head of equity capital markets at Deutsche Bank.

($1 = 0.8595 euros)

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(Reporting by Charlie Conchie. Editing by Anousha Sakoui, Kirsten Donovan)