The regional M&A slowdown is moderating somewhat

The bleeding in regional M&A has slowed, but it hasn't stopped.

Outbound outpaces inbound:

The UAE dominated the regional map.

The materials, industrials, tech, and financial services led the charge.

The gloomy results are still better than 1Q’s depressing recordings

Looking further ahead USD 2.8 tn in 1H this year

A rival count tells a different story

PwC's own mid-year tally (pdf), also out this week, counts just 272 M&A transactions across the Middle East in 1H 2026, down roughly 8% y-o-y

What PwC adds that's worth knowing on its own terms:

Interest rates (CBE)

S&P Egypt Sovereign Bond Index

S&P MENA Bond & Sukuk

VIX (Volatility Index)

The EGX30 fell 0.1% at Wednesday’s close