Over 300 global institutional investors met with more than 100 Middle East corporates and all seven bourses from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) at HSBC’s GCC Exchange Conference in London this week. The event comes as tariff uncertainty reshapes capital flows, with global investors increasingly turning to the Gulf for stable yield, reform-driven growth and maturing capital markets.

Now in its fourth year, conversations at the conference focused on the increasing appeal of the GCC as the region continues to register record IPO pipelines, deepen sovereign and corporate bond markets and expand private credit platforms – all underpinned by strong fiscal buffers and multi-year economic transformation agendas. The continued liberalisation of GCC financial markets and the introduction of privatisation programmes by GCC governments are converging at a time when investors are seeking diversification from global volatility.

GCC capital markets remained resilient in the first quarter of the year with IPO proceeds 33% higher compared to the first quarter of 2024, despite a slowdown in issuances globally.[1]

Haitham Salim Al Salmi, CEO, Muscat Stock Exchange, said: “We are working with the Oman Investment Authority and the government to pave the way for sizable and profitable private companies as part of their divestment plan. We aim to enhance MSX’s contribution to the national economy through our main initiatives such as launching an SME listing platform, facilitating accessibility to the market and establishing international linkages in parallel with our subsidiary Muscat Clearing & Depository.”

Elie El Asmar, Chief Executive, HSBC Oman commented: “Oman has an increasingly powerful story to tell global investors which is evidenced by a surge in foreign direct investment over the past five years, liberalisation of foreign ownership rules and huge strides taken in the journey from emerging to developed market status. Strategic reforms, robust infrastructure and a strong commitment to economic diversification continue to unlock new opportunities for international partnerships and sustainable growth.”

This year, for the first time, HSBC brought together Emerging Market (EM) Macro Strategists with GCC attendees, as EM investors dial-up their exposure to the Gulf’s capital markets driven by strong GDP projections relative to the broader EM pool.

-Ends-

Media enquiries to:                    

Tony Hannon
tony.hannon@hsbc.com

Ahmad Othman
ahmad.othman@hsbc.com

HSBC in the MENAT region

HSBC is the largest and most widely represented international banking organisation in the Middle East, North Africa and Türkiye (MENAT), with a presence in nine countries across the region: Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates. In Saudi Arabia, HSBC is a 31% shareholder of Saudi Awwal Bank (SAB), and a 51% shareholder of HSBC Saudi Arabia for investment banking in the Kingdom. Across MENAT, HSBC had assets of US$73bn as at 31 December 2024.

www.hsbc.ae

[1] PwC, IPO Watch, 20 May 2025