Deal activity* reached a record high in 2021, according to GlobalData, which notes that both global deal value and volume saw year-on-year (YoY) growth. The leading data and analytics company reveals that 2021 saw a 26.7% rise in deal volume, increasing from 56,279 deals in 2020 to 71,282 in 2021, and a 49.1% rise in deal value, increasing from US$3.1 trillion in 2020 to US$4.7 trillion in 2021.

Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “Deal-making has emerged victorious following the COVID-19-spurred downturn. The resurgence was seen across all regions, as well as most key markets and sectors.”

North America continued to account for the highest share of global deal activity, at 44.3%, while also experiencing a 32.8% rise in deal volume YoY—from 23,621 in 2020 to 31,366 in 2021. The Asia-Pacific, Europe, Middle East and Africa, and South and Central America regions also saw improvements in deal volume, by a respective 16.8%, 25.1%, 29.8% and 40.2%.

Deal activity also witnessed improvement in most of the key markets in 2021. The US saw an increase of 35.4%, while China (11.1%), Canada (12.2%), India (48.5%), the UK (27.5%) and Germany (22.1%) also saw gains.

Bose continues: “All of the deal types tracked by GlobalData saw improvements in deal volume in 2021, compared to the previous year. The number of private equity, venture financing and M&A deals increased by 18%, 39.1% and 18.8%, respectively.”

* Comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals