Global equity markets could face near-term pressure from the expected initial public offerings (IPOs) of leading technology firms OpenAI, Anthropic and SpaceX, according to a senior investment executive at Standard Chartered.
Speaking on CNBC’s Access Middle East programme, Steve Brice, the bank’s global chief investment officer for wealth solutions, cautioned that the market may struggle to absorb the scale of the expected listings, potentially creating short-term volatility.
”There’s going to be some digestion challenges of these IPOs coming through the market,” Brice said, noting that while market participation has broadened beyond a handful of dominant technology stocks, the transition is unlikely to occur smoothly.
His remarks come amid growing expectation surrounding potential public listings by artificial intelligence leaders OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as aerospace and satellite communications giant SpaceX.
Such offerings are expected to attract significant investor demand and could absorb large amounts of market liquidity.
Brice said he was not “super, super bullish” on markets at present, warning that equities could experience weakness during the summer months. He suggested that geopolitical developments in the Middle East could further complicate the outlook.
”We could see some weakness at some point over the summer months, and maybe that would fit into what’s happening in the Middle East as well,” he said.
Despite the cautious near-term view, Brice maintained that any market pullback could provide investors with attractive buying opportunities over the longer term.
He also pointed to upcoming US labour market data as a key factor supporting investor sentiment. Strong employment figures could help underpin markets, although that optimism may fade if disruptions in global energy markets persist.
Brice highlighted concerns surrounding the continued closure of the Strait of Hormuz by Iran, warning that prolonged restrictions could weigh heavily on global economic activity if the waterway remains shut beyond the summer.
Oil prices have surged in recent weeks as tensions in the region escalated, with the Trump administration imposing a blockade on Iranian ports while Tehran has kept the strategically important strait closed.
According to Brice, inventories are being depleted rapidly across a range of commodities and industrial inputs, including crude oil, petrochemicals and urea, raising concerns about supply shortages and higher costs for manufacturers worldwide.
The comments underscore growing investor unease over the combined impact of major upcoming IPOs, geopolitical tensions and energy market disruptions, all of which could shape market performance in the months ahead.
