M&A A record number of deals were cancelled in 2008 leading to a sharp fall in fees for investment bankers. The total volume of worldwide mergers and acquisitions reached $3,280bn in the year to date, down 29 per cent from the full year 2007 as financing difficulties, volatility in valuations and widespread risk aversion saw deals pulled.
Companies abandoned 1,309 transactions valued at a total of $911bn, according to Dealogic, the financial data provider. In 2007, there were 870 withdrawn deals valued at $1,160bn.
