Investment bankers laughed their way to the bank with 41 per cent on-year more fee income at USD 967.5 million during the first nine months of 2023, despite a massive fall in deals, according to an industry analysis. This is the highest fee collection by deal makers since records began in 2000.

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According to Refinitiv, which is an LSEG (London Stock Exchange Group) business , completed M&A advisory fee jumped 34 per cent year-on-year during January-September 2023 and totalled USD 362 million, while ECM (equity capital market) underwriting fees rose by a steeper 38 per cent to reach USD 194.3 million.

Debt capital market (DCM) underwriting fees totalled USD 181.7 million, a 41 per cent increase from a year ago, while syndicated lending fees grew 56 per cent to USD 229.5 million in the first nine months of 2023, Lucille Jones, an analyst at LSEG said, adding the total fee income for the sector during the period jumped 41 per cent to USD 967.5 million.

Wall Street major Citi's domestic arm took the top position for overall investment banking fees with a total of USD 58.6 million, accounting for 6.1 per cent of the wallet share of the i-banking fee pool.

The fees rose despite 56.6 per cent plunge in India-bound M&As to a three-year low of USD 65.6 billion in the first nine months of 2023, but the number of deals saw a 3 per cent on-year growth.

Similarly India target M&As reached USD 60.5 billion, down 56.8 per cent from a year ago and the lowest first nine months period by value since 2020. Domestic M&As totalled USD44.1 billion, down 59.7 per cent from the same period in 2022.

Inbound M&As fell 46.6 per cent from a year ago and totalled USD16.4 billion and outbound M&As reached USD4.8 billion, down 46.5 percent on-year with the US being the most targeted nation with 24.6 percent market share.

Majority of the deal making activity involving India targeted the financial sector which totalled USD30.6 billion, down 55.9 per cent in value, and accounted for 46.7 per cent market share, followed by industrials at USD7.7 billion, down 32.4 per cent and 11.7 per cent market share.

High technology, which saw the greatest number of deals announced in the period captured 9 per cent market share with USD5.9 billion worth of deals, down 71.7 per cent compared to last year.

Private equity-backed M&As amounted to USD11.1 billion, down 58.1 per cent from a year ago, and the lowest first nine months period by value since 2020.

Equity capital markets (ECM) raised USD 18.4 billion in the first nine months of 2023, a 34.4 per cent increase compared to a year ago. The number of ECM offerings saw 253 equity and equity-linked issuances, up 30.4 per cent on-year.

Within the ECM space, initial public offerings (IPOs) raised USD3.5 billion during the first nine months, down 38.1 per cent by proceeds, but the number of IPOs rose 35.2 per cent.

Follow-on offerings, which accounted for 81 per cent of the overall ECM proceeds, raised USD14.9 billion, up 85 per cent on-year, while the number of follow-on offerings grew 24.4 per cent year-on-year.

ECM issuance from the financial sector accounted for majority of the activity with 19.8 per cent market share or USD3.6 billion, down 6.2 per cent on-year. Industrials captured 18.3 per cent market share followed by high technology and materials with 11.5 per cent and 11.2 per cent market share, respectively.

Jefferies leads the ranking in the ECM underwriting space with USD2.3 billion in related proceeds and 12.4 per cent market share.

In debt capital markets, primary bond offerings saw USD65.1 billion being mopped up during the first nine months, a 39.3 per cent increase in proceeds and making it the highest first nine months period since 2019.

Financial sector issuers captured 78 per cent market share at USD 50.8 billion, up 61.6 per cent, followed by industrials with a 5.6 per cent market share worth USD3.7 billion, up 86.3 per cent.

ICICI Bank tops the ranking for bond underwriting, with related proceeds of USD 10.96 billion and accounted for 16.8 per cent market share.

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