Europe's H1 Equity Issuance Hits $88.7B, Up 35% on AI Buildout

Equity issuance in Europe reached $88.7 billion in the first half of 2026, up 35% year-on-year, as record capital spending on AI data centers and power grids drives fundraising by listed companies. With initial public offerings (IPOs) still sluggish, follow-on offerings by existing listed firms accounted for more than half of the total, giving investment banks one of their busiest starts to a year in some time.