Global M&A Trends: Spotlight On Japan

According to a recent KPMG report, the global M&A landscape in 2024 signals a rebound despite challenges like geopolitical tensions, high interest rates, and persistent inflation for much of the year. The dealmaking environment gained momentum in part due to inflation and interest rate pressures starting to ease towards the end of the year, the return of major lenders to acquisition finance markets, and technology advancements, particularly artificial intelligence (AI).

Although 2024 marked a turnaround for global M&A markets, performance was mixed. The KPMG report states that while deal volumes declined by approximately 17%, the total deal value rose, driven by 89 megadeals totaling an impressive $1.034 trillion. However, smaller deals (valued under $500 million) experienced a dip in both value and volume.