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Internet/ecommerce subsector has best quarter on record by value

US$39.29 billion across 130 deals were recorded globally in the internet/e-commerce sector in Q2 2019, the highest quarterly total by value on Mergermarket record (since 2006).

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Biotechnology M&A surges to record highs in H1 2019

Global biotechnology M&A has grown successively year on year since 2015, with US$136.6 billion worth of activity recorded last year. Already in the first two quarters of the year, total M&A value in the sector has nearly matched the whole of 2018, with US$135.6 billion in activity registered.

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China outbound M&A value drops to lowest quarter since Q3 2010

There were 36 Chinese outbound cross-border M&A deals in Q2 2019, totaling US$3.4 billion. This represents the lowest quarter by value since Q3 2010 and the lowest by volume since Q1 2013.

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Defense M&A value breaks new record in H1 2019

Already in the first half of 2019, US$90.14 billion in M&A value was recorded in the defense sector, more than three times the annual total in 2018, which was then the highest annual total ever. This was largely due to the announcement of United Technologies’ US$88.9 billion acquisition of Raytheon, the largest deal in the sector on Mergermarket record.

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France-based bidders were second largest source of cross-border activity in H1 2019

As the UK and China took a step back in cross-border dealmaking, France became the second-most active country for outbound M&A by value in H1 2019, taking up 8% of global value, or US$47.91 billion worth of activity.

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US retail banking M&A staging recovery

M&A in the US retail banking sector is staging a slow but steady comeback after many subdued years post-financial crisis (other than outlier year 2015 which recorded US$96.11 billion in M&A). Already in H1 2019, there have been 63 deals totaling US$40.5 billion, a higher value than the US$35.3 billion registered in the entirety of 2018.

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African M&A value surges to highest quarter since Q4 2016

In Q2 2019, African M&A had its best quarter since Q4 2016 by value, with 32 deals worth US$11.5 billion. This was due mainly to US-based Anadarko Petroleum’s sale of US$8.8 billion worth of its Africa-based assets to France’s Total.

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Megadeal value and volume surge in the first quarter of 2019

The first quarter of 2019 saw a 128% quarter-on-quarter rise in deal value to US$439.2 billion and a 37% increase in volume to 26 deals.

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The Middle East region had its best ever quarter on record in Q1 2019

US$92 billion in transaction value was recorded across 59 deals, 86% above total deal value in the entirety of 2018. This was mainly due to one deal, the US$70 billion acquisition of SABIC, a Saudi state-owned chemicals firm SABIC by oil and gas giant Saudi Aramco.

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In Q1 2019, financial services M&A had its best quarter since the end of 2017

Registering US$102.3 billion in deal value, financial services recorded its best start to a year since 2007. This was due to larger deals being struck, as volume was substantially lower: there were only 259 deals in Q1 2019, compared to the 408 deals totalling US$148.49 billion in Q4 2017.

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Brexit worries could be taking their toll on UK M&A

Anxiety around Brexit seems to be weighing on UK M&A. Only 256 deals were recorded in the first quarter of 2019, the lowest quarterly volume figure since Q4 2011. Value fell quarter on quarter to US$35.2 billion, the lowest total since Q2 2016, which registered US$20 billion in deal value.

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Three years of megadeals push media M&A to new heights

In the last three years, megadeals in the media industry—namely the US$105.2 billion AT&T/Time Warner deal in 2016, the USD$84 billion Disney/Fox deal in 2017, and the US$51.5 billion Comcast/Sky deal last year—have pushed total deal value in the sector to the three highest annual totals since the 2008 financial crisis. While Q1 2019 is lower, there are a number of deals in the pipeline.

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Record year for private equity in the tech sector and 2019 is on course to beat it

In 2018, private equity activity in the technology sector reached its highest annual total value on record. There were 1,270 deals worth US$217.4 billion recorded, a 13% increase in volume and a 69% annual rise in value. So far in 2019, the first quarter has logged 245 deals worth US$45.1 billion, meaning value has risen 28% compared to the same period last year.

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Energy, mining and utilities is top value sector in Q3 2018

The sector raised US$199.45 billion in Q3 2018—51% more than second-placed sector technology, media and telecommunications.

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Industrials and chemicals is the top volume sector in Q3 2018

There were 795 deals in the industrials and chemicals sector in Q3 2018. TMT came in second with 719 and business services was third with 486 deals.

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Cross-border media deals hit a record high in 2018

With a quarter of the year still to go, cross-border media deals have pulled in US$60.77 billion, the highest haul on record.

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Cross-border deal value into Africa rises in Q3 2018

Inbound deal value into Africa increased by 182% quarter on quarter and 116% year on year with the industrials and chemicals and consumer sectors taking the lion share of the total.

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Mining hits a rich vein with highest M&A value since 2014

With a quarter still to go, the mining sector has yielded its highest M&A value in four years. Currently standing at US$21.8 billion, the figure is 63% higher than the whole of 2017.

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Canada outbound deals heat up in Q3 2018

Cross-border M&A out of Canada has hit its highest quarterly total since Q3 2016. There was US$39.7 billion-worth of outbound M&A in Q3, with much of the value concentrated in the energy, mining and utilities sector.

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Cross-border insurance M&A soaring in 2018

Insurance deals between different regions have reached their highest point since 2016, with a quarter still to go. So far, 2018 has seen M&A worth US$34.5 billion, a 64% increase year on year.

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