Gulf M&A activity cooled sharply: Q3 deal value involving Gulf companies fell to about $5bn, the weakest quarterly total since 2022 and down from $69bn a year earlier. Since the start of Q4, regional deal value has declined by more than 90% YoY. Market participants point to disruptions from the Iran war and the prospect of tougher U.S. merger scrutiny under a shifting U.S. political backdrop; 2025’s surge—highlighted by a roughly $55bn Electronic Arts transaction—made the current slowdown look l

Gulf M&A activity cooled sharply: Q3 deal value involving Gulf companies fell to about $5bn, the weakest quarterly total since 2022 and down from $69bn a year earlier. Since the start of Q4, regional deal value has declined by more than 90% YoY. Market participants point to disruptions from the Iran war and the prospect of tougher U.S. merger scrutiny under a shifting U.S. political backdrop; 2025’s surge—highlighted by a roughly $55bn Electronic Arts transaction—made the current slowdown look like post-boom normalization rather than a market exit. Activity remains above the five‑year average and Wall Street banks are still expanding local teams. Lumina Capital Advisers partner James Jarvis said corporate boards paused deals early in the conflict to reassess business impacts, delaying M&A and divestitures.