Middle East Bond Issuances Fall 10% to $129.7 Billion
Regional bond issuances fell 10% to $129.7 billion in the first nine months, as the number of deals declined while their average size increased.
Bond issuances in the Middle East and North Africa region fell by 10% year-on-year to $129.7 billion during the first nine months of 2026, according to London Stock Exchange Group data cited by Enterprise.
Saudi Arabia accounted for 42% of the issuance proceeds, after the government raised more than $11.5 billion in a four-tranche offering.
Sukuk issuances dropped by 39% to $34.8 billion, while the number of deals in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries fell to 45 from 136 deals.
On the other hand, the average deal size rose to $773 million from about $296 million, reflecting a market shift toward larger, higher-quality issuances.
What do these terms mean?
Bonds: Debt instruments issued by governments or corporations to raise funds in exchange for periodic interest.
Sukuk: An Islamic financing instrument based on real assets rather than traditional interest.
Multi-tranche offering: The sale of bonds with different maturities and prices in a single transaction.
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