(Bloomberg) — The monetary fallout from the coronavirus pandemic will maintain fueling debt issuance from the Center East into 2021, whereas additionally stoking mergers and acquisitions as firms search to consolidate, in keeping with JPMorgan Chase & Co.Development in lending by the bank, coupled with charges from arranging bond and M&A offers, will drive the U.S. firm’s operations within the area, Karim Tannir, JPMorgan’s joint-senior nation officer for the Center East and North Africa, mentioned in an interview. The United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia would be the major drivers.Learn extra: Center East Inks $25 Billion of Offers Defying Virus GloomThe first six months noticed $72 billion of bond issuance from the area, the busiest begin but, with JPMorgan among the many high arrangers, in keeping with knowledge compiled by Bloomberg. Governments have been tapping debt markets to shore up funds battered by a stoop in oil costs and as lockdowns to curb Covid-19 weigh on their economies.Curiosity within the area is helped by currencies which are pegged to the greenback, good sovereign credit score rankings and the absence of capital controls, Tannir mentioned. Abu Dhabi Nationwide Oil Co., the state-owned power producer, has attracted billions of {dollars} from the likes of Brookfield Asset Administration Inc., BlackRock Inc., KKR & Co., and Singapore’s wealth fund by promoting stakes in its property.Takeovers may also drive transactions, he mentioned. JPMorgan shares high spot on the M&A MENA league desk with Morgan Stanley.“The financial sector, consumer retail, real estate, tourism — all these sectors are ripe for consolidation,” Tannir mentioned. “Some of the deals we will see may not have been driven by Covid-19, but that is now going to accelerate consolidation.”As Oil and Virus Drive Gulf Bank Mergers, Who’s Speaking to WhomJPMorgan is advising Saudi Arabia’s Nationwide Business Bank on its takeover of native rival Samba Monetary Group, which is able to comply with a spate of offers within the area’s fragmented financial-services business. It additionally suggested on Abu Dhabi Nationwide Power Co.’s asset-transfer take care of Abu Dhabi Energy Corp.Whereas preliminary public choices have slowed following the Covid-19 outbreak, a “few transactions” may be introduced earlier than the tip of 2020, Tannir mentioned, declining to present particulars.Saudi Stock Market Sees IPO Exercise Returning After Virus SlumpCash-flush sovereign wealth funds have been a supply of deal stream. Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund in May mentioned it purchased stakes in firms together with BP Plc, Boeing Co., Fb Inc. and Walt Disney Co. in the course of the worst of the market rout in March.Mideast Wealth Funds Plan Extra European Cut price Looking: Invesco“We see that continuing into 2021,” Tannir mentioned. “Whenever there is a dip in the market there is a high likelihood that they’ll take another look.”©2020 Bloomberg L.P.