Global IPOs slump in Q3, but Q4 hopes up

Singapore

INITIAL public offerings (IPOs) dried up around the world in the third quarter of 2015 as market volatility spiked, and hopes are now on the developed markets to capture risk-aversion opportunities, according to accounting consultancy firm EY.

The outlook in Asia - in South-east Asia in particular - remains soft as the China engine appears to have stalled, EY said in its third-quarter Global IPO Trends report.

"If developed markets can withstand the uncertainty and volatility reduces, we expect IPO activity to pick up again in the fourth quarter," EY global vice-chair of strategic growth markets Maria Pinelli said. "The broader fund-raising environment is strong, but IPOs are fighting for attention in a crowde…