M&A outlook undimmed by market volatility

摘要

Europe could be set for a bumper M&A year in 2016, with more corporate, debt-funded activity anticipated as companies seek growth and private equity firms look for exits in choppy markets and smaller bolt-on acquisitions. While US M&A dealmaking of US$2.46trn was US$541m higher than the previous peak of the market in 2007 on December 8, European M&A activity of US$1.08trn is lagging and is US$897m lower than 2007, according to a Bank of America Merrill Lynch presentation. EMEA lending for the year to date hit US$277bn on December 9, which is still lower than 2007's record total of US$663bn. Fourth-quarter M&A loan volume of US$135.7bn is, however, the highest quarterly volume since the third quarter of 2007, which totalled US$19Bbn, according to Thomson Reuters LPC data.