Global activity in initial public offerings has leaped 70 percent to hit $28.2 billion in 2014 so far, compared with the same period last year, Thomson Reuters data showed on Friday.

Firms have sought to cash in on strong equity markets, and the listing rush looks set to continue with the IPOs of Denmark's ISS, Britain's Pets at Home and U.S. investment bank Moelis all in the pipeline.

The bidding saga surrounding France's SFR has helped raise the level of European mergers and acquisitions activity to $117.9 billion in 2014 to date, up almost two-thirds on the same time last year.

Morgan Stanley has the biggest global share of mergers and acquisitions announced in the year so far, with 49 deals totaling $188.8 billion.