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New market data has revealed that the first six months of 2021 witnessed record-level initial public offering (IPO) deals across the world’s regions. According to data presented by BuyShares.co.uk, the European IPO activity soared by 850 per cent year-on-year (YoY), with the total value of deals reaching $55 billion at June ending.

US companies raised $147.6 billion in IPOs at June ending, a 453 per cent increase, compared with the same period in 2020. The total value of IPO deals in the Asian market jumped by 146 per cent YoY to $75.6 billion in June. The Middle East and Africa, and Latin America also witnessed impressive growth, with the total value of their IPO deals increasing by 375 per cent and 290 per cent YoY, respectively.

Globally $300.9 billion worth of IPO deals took place in H1 2021, which is 336 per cent more than in the same period a year earlier. Most of that value, or $203.5 billion worth of deals, were made in Q1 2021 as the record quarter for IPO activities.

Finance companies raised almost $116.6 billion, nearly 40 per cent of the total value of IPO deals in 2021. The technology sector ranked second with $79 billion worth of deals. Healthcare, transportation, and consumer products followed, with $29.2 billion, $10.9 billion, and $9.4 billion, respectively.

Credit Suisse ranked as the number one advisor on IPOs in Europe, with $15.7 billion worth of deals in the first six months of 2021. The Swiss financial giant ended last year as the top investment bank globally, with $21.4 billion worth of IPO deals, more than Citi, JPMorgan or Morgan Stanley.

2020 was a good year for IPO investors who benefited from both the number of IPOs and their outsized average returns, despite the COVID-19. The strong IPO activity continued in 2021, with initial public offerings setting a new record.