Dan Simkowitz, co-president of Morgan Stanley, said in remarks published Sunday, October 11, 2026, that the UAE's IPO and credit markets are poised for a rebound once regional conflicts are resolved or reach a level of stability.
"Long term, as the conflicts get resolved or hit some level of stabilisation, you will definitely see a rebound in the IPO marketplace in the UAE," Simkowitz said. His comments come as the UAE's IPO market has recorded zero new listings so far in 2026, a sharp contrast to 2025, when three IPOs together raised $1.1 billion.
Simkowitz stressed that the current slowdown reflects only a temporarily higher risk premium rather than a shift in long-term investor interest in the region. He reaffirmed Morgan Stanley's ongoing commitment to the Gulf, noting the bank employs well over 100 staff in the region, and pointed to the UAE's outsized role in artificial intelligence relative to its GDP and market capitalisation.
Despite the IPO pause, Gulf debt capital markets have continued to expand, with outstanding debt reaching $1.2 trillion by the end of the first half of 2026 and more than $100 billion raised regionally so far this year. The World Bank has forecast Gulf economies will contract by 4.3 percent this year, but Simkowitz said the region's long-term investment case remains intact.