The Q1 2022 Global IPO Watch report by PwC highlights that the first quarter of 2022 saw a significant increase in IPO proceeds compared to the pre-pandemic period, with global IPO proceeds reaching $56.1bn. However, concerns over investor liquidity and inflation risks remain, leading to higher market volatility. The impact of the Omicron variant and the war in Ukraine have also affected sentiment and pricing. Despite this, ESG continues to gain increasing focus from equity investors, and regulators are beginning to catch up with proposed rule amendments requiring public companies to include certain climate-related impact disclosures. The outlook for the remainder of 2022 remains uncertain, with predicting a timescale for the return of appetite for IPOs challenging at this point.
