SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic IPOs Could End 23-Year Stock Market Shrinkage – But Investors Warn of Price Support Loss
A wave of long-awaited initial public offerings from major private tech firms including SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI is set to reverse a 23-year trend of a shrinking US stock market, though analysts caution that the influx of new shares could remove a key support for stock prices.
For more than two decades, the number of publicly traded US companies has steadily declined as more firms delisted or were bought out than went public [169639]. That trend is now poised to change. Blockbuster initial public offerings from tech leaders like Anthropic and SpaceX are expected to reshape global capital markets, redirecting investment flows and changing how tech companies are valued [170432]. The upcoming IPOs from high-profile firms, including OpenAI, would reverse the long-term shrinkage of the listed company count [169639].
However, analysts warn that the shift may have a downside. Many companies have been using stock buybacks—purchasing their own shares—to boost prices. As these private giants go public, the pace of buybacks could slow, removing that support [169639]. The net effect remains uncertain, and investors will watch closely whether the loss of buyback activity offsets any gains from fresh IPOs [169639].
For China, this wave of new listings will intensify an already fierce battle for global capital, adding pressure on foreign investment inflows [170432].