Deal with it

7 July 2015 By Quentin Webb

Regional deals could be worth $1 trln this year. But the bonanza offers less than investors might hope. Backing from states and tycoons makes many companies bid-proof. That means fewer premium bids, less pressure on firms to shape up, and more stitch-ups of minority shareholders.

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Companies announced $2.2 trillion of mergers and acquisitions in the first six months of 2015, according to Thomson Reuters data, marking the strongest first half to a year since 2007.

M&A involving companies in the Asia-Pacific region outside Japan leapt 74 percent to a record $590 billion. Hong Kong tycoon Li Ka-shing accounted for three of Asia’s four biggest deals, reshuffling his business empire and buying British mobile firm O2 in transactions worth a combined $96 billion.

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