M&A deal in May plunges 87% in value

New Delhi: The merger and acquisition activity recorded an 87 per cent fall in terms of value and a 27 per cent drop in volume last month, due to weakness in the rupee, spike in crude oil prices and indecisiveness among investors until results of the general elections, according to a report.

"While the nation was warily polling and awaiting for the election results, the month witnessed 33 M&A (merger and acquisition) transactions aggregating to $3.4 billion translating into a decreased deal activity compared to May 2018 with 27 per cent fall in volume and 87 per cent drop in value," according to monthly M&A Dealtracker report by Grant Thornton.

The assurance, tax and advisory firm said it was also impacted by the month witnessing deals falling apart in the absence of regulatory approvals.

However, compared to April 2019, May saw a significant increase in deal value despite fall in volume, it noted.