With the surge in stock prices igniting the initial public offering (IPO) frenzy, India has surpassed China this year to become the largest company listing market in Asia.
According to a report by the Financial Times on December 26, based on the data from Dealogic in 2024, driven by companies such as Swiggy and Hyundai, India is set to become the world’s second-largest equity fundraising market, second only to the United States. Data from KPMG, a leading accounting firm, indicates that in terms of value, the National Stock Exchange of India will surpass Nasdaq and the Hong Kong Stock Exchange to become the top destination for primary listings.
The report suggests that this ranking signifies a shift in the Asian financial industry in 2024, as tightening regulations in China have resulted in relatively fewer listings there.
Simultaneously, despite concerns about whether the Indian market can withstand economic slowdowns, with the resurgence in the Indian stock market over the years, companies are leveraging the advantage of high valuations.
Based on Dealogic data, both primary and secondary listings accounted for mainland China being the largest market in 2023. However, the value dropped from over $48 billion to $7.5 billion in early December 2024, marking an 86% decrease.
Although the slowdown in Indian economic growth has made foreign portfolio managers cautious about the stock market, bankers believe that the widespread prosperity of primary and secondary IPOs in India may continue into the new year.
V Jayasankar, Managing Director at Kotak Investment Banking, participated in some of the largest IPOs in India this year. “This is one of the busiest periods in Indian capital market history. India is definitely drawing attention,” Jayasankar said.
Jayasankar added that domestic capital flows in India are “very robust,” primarily benefiting from the significant development of “investment democratization,” with more and more households channeling funds into local stock markets. The steady flow of funds has been propelling the Indian market.
“The overall activity has brought us positive surprises,” Jayasankar said.
Dealogic reported that the resurgence of IPOs in the United States and Europe was a prominent feature of 2024. However, the global IPO total amounted to $123 billion, only slightly higher than $122.2 billion in 2023. US IPOs increased by 67% compared to the previous year, while European IPOs increased by around 64%. Additionally, there was a significant increase in the number of IPOs in the Middle East.