Asian stock markets have risen in popularity in 2024, consequently overshadowing the º£½ÇÊÓƵ's market in initial public offerings (IPOs).
Throughout the year, Asia has led in stock exchange debuts, boasting over 600 IPOs, which account for more than two thirds of the global total of 867 floats in 2024, data from Globaldata indicates, as reported by .
In stark contrast, the º£½ÇÊÓƵ market has struggled with merely a dozen IPOs during the same period, and only half a dozen valuing above £30m. "It is worth noting that the performance of some of these deals has been mixed, with a number trading below issue post pricing," Peel Hunt analysts have observed.
The only substantial IPO from the º£½ÇÊÓƵ, exceeding £1bn, came from Canal+, which saw its value drop by over 14% since its launch earlier this month. Meanwhile, countries like India have experienced a remarkable upsurge in their stock market intake, with proceeds soaring to $11.2bn (£9bn), more than double the $5.5bn (£4.4bn) amassed in 2023.
Looking ahead, "The pipeline for 2025 promises even bigger fireworks, fuelled by skyrocketing retail participation, hefty domestic inflows, and FPIs [Foreign Portfolio Investments] flexing their muscles," commented Murthy Grandhi, company profiles analyst at Globaldata. Comparatively, according to Bloomberg data, the valuation of the º£½ÇÊÓƵ’s IPO market deals dipped around nine per cent this year, which relegated the country to 20th place globally.
In the Asia Pacific (APAC) region, Japan and Malaysia have also seen significant growth. Japan's IPOs increased by 275 per cent, with 69 IPOs raising a total of $12.6bn (£10.1bn), while Malaysia recorded a 146 per cent rise.
However, Chinese IPOs fell by more than half due to tighter regulations and a lack of interest in its market until the last quarter of the year. The country launched 64 IPOs, raising just over $5.2bn (£4.2bn).
The Asian markets are predicted to maintain their strong performance into 2025, thanks to a robust pipeline of companies ready to debut on stock exchanges. Notable IPOs include Tokyo Metro in Japan and Hyundai Motor in India, with deal values of $3.2bn (£2.6bn) and $3.3bn (£2.6bn) respectively, vastly exceeding all floats on the º£½ÇÊÓƵ market combined.
