Friday, November 20, 2015
Middle East Loan Volume at Highest YTD Level Since 2007
By Alix de Raucourt
- Middle East syndicated loan volume stands at $91.8bn in 2015 YTD, the highest YTD total since 2007 ($108.5bn) and up 81% on the $50.7bn borrowed in the same 2014 period ($50.7bn). Activity has also increased year-on-year, to 98 deals signed so far in 2015, the highest YTD level since 2008 (124 loans)
o Conversely, Middle East DCM volume totals $33.6bn, down 22% from $42.9bn in 2014 YTD and the lowest YTD volume since 2011 ($26.2bn). Activity, however, has increased 23% year-on-year to 92 bonds in 2015 YTD
- Israel accounts for 41% of Middle East loan volume in 2015 YTD, topping the borrower nationality ranking with a YTD record high of $37.4bn. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates follow with $21.5bn and $20.2bn respectively
o On September 25, 2015, Teva Pharmaceutical Industries borrowed $27.0bn through a bridge facility to support the pending $40.5bn acquisition of the generic drug unit of Allergan, marking the largest Middle East syndicated loan on record. Excluding this deal, Israel loan volume would total $10.4bn in 2015, still a YTD record high
- Average maturity of Middle East loans stands at seven years and eleven months in 2015 YTD, the highest average since the same period in 2010 (eight years and one month)
- DNB Markets leads the bookrunner ranking for Middle East syndicated loans in 2015 YTD, with a 13.5% market share, followed bySumitomo Mitsui Financial Group and HSBC, with 8.3% and 7.8%, respectively