2020 got off to a slow start in terms of global M&A activity, which declined across all measures in January. Globally, the number of deals decreased by 14.2%, to 2,503, while total deal value decreased by 52.8%, to $168.73 billion—the lowest global deal value since February 2013. U.S. M&A activity, on the other hand, was mixed, with the number of deals increasing by 17.9%, to 763, while total deal value decreased by 38.4%, to $76.04 billion. Average deal value decreased overall—falling by 47.8% in the U.S., to $99.65 million, and by 45.0% globally, to $67.41 million. The considerable decline in global dealmaking comes at a time of growing fears of a global health pandemic related to the outbreak of the coronavirus as well as increased stock market volatility.
