M&A activity increases by 124%

MERGER & acquisition activity recorded an increase of 124% in the value of deals done in the first quarter of 2009 compared to the final three months last year, figures released yesterday by Experian show.

That rise in value discounts the Government’s e7 billion bailout of the three main banks in included in the figures for the last quarter of last year, the company said.

Just 48 deals were announced in Q1 2009, a 15.8% drop on the 57 transactions recorded in the previous three month period.