Volume and value of North West deals drops
THE value of deals completed in the North West plummeted in the first quarter of 2012 when compared with 2011 figures.
A new report by Experian shows that the number of mergers and acquisitions completed in the first three months of 2011 fell by 23% to 135 (2010: 176), but the value of these deals fell by 86% to £55m (£4bn). The 2011 figure included the £1.6bn sale of the Trafford Centre by Peel Group to Capital Shopping Centres.
Across the UK, the value of deals increased by almost 63% to £75.8bn, although this too was influenced by one significant deal – commodities giant Glencore’s £39.1bn purchase of London-based mining group Xstrata.
Experian Corpfin business development manager Wendy Driver said: “Despite an overall fall in the volume of deal activity, two regions still managed to buck the trend and values in five of the UK regions were up – influenced mainly by the biggest deal ever in the mining and quarrying industry.
“It was also among the highest-valued transactions in UK corporate history. This highlights that firms are managing to find the funds to invest.”
