Floats, mergers and deals now at the highest level since 2007
DEALMAKING has soared during the first six months of 2014 with global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) totalling $1.75 trillion (£1.03 trillion) unveiled, the highest global deal value since 2007 when $2.6 trillion in deals were struck, according to Dealogic.
US M&A has so far dominated 2014, with volumes jumping 55 per cent to $798.5bn led by several blockbuster deals. Comcast’s $69.8bn bid for Time Warner being the biggest deal so far this year.
Deal volume in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) rose to its highest since 2008, jumping 29 per cent to $478.9bn.
Global initial public offerings (IPOs) were also booming, with deals rising 44 per cent to raise $104.9bn from 533 floats.
IPOs from JD.com and Markit helped boost the technology sector to float volume worth $17.3bn. This was the highest for the industry since the second half of 2000, when floats raised $22.1bn at the height of the dotcom bubble.
EMEA floats raised $42.5bn, more than double the $15.2bn raised during the same period last year and the highest since the second half of 2007.