Global mergers and acquisitions surged 30% year-on-year to US$2.6 trillion in the first half of 2026, spanning sectors from food products to power grids. The strong performance came despite ongoing war, economic anxiety and political uncertainty. Tom Miles, global co-head of M&A at Morgan Stanley, noted that executives have embraced volatility rather than waiting for stability. The pace puts dealmakers on track to potentially surpass the record transaction volumes achieved in 2021, signalling sustained confidence among CEOs, boards and investment bankers through the remainder of the year.
In-Depth:
NEW YORK: The year was tipped to be a potential blockbuster in deals and the first half (1H) delivered, setting a pace that is likely to continue in the closing months of 2026.
From well-known food products to power grids and everywhere in between, chief executives, boards and the bankers that back them served up a wide variety of transactions. And that all came amid war, economic anxiety and political uncertainty.
“People have just accepted the volatility and are investing through it as opposed to waiting until it’s over,” declared Tom Miles, global co-head of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) at Morgan Stanley.
Global transaction values were up around 30% year-on-year to US$2.6 trillion in the 1H, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That puts dealbuildrs on course to potentially pass the record haul they achieved in 2021.
…
