The first three months of Calendar Year 2018 recorded 323 transactions (M&A and PE) worth $22.5 billion, showing a marginal increase in deal volumes, while values saw a 24% dip compared with the same period in 2017, Grant Thornton indicated in its dealtracker report released on Thursday. However, compared with the December quarter, the January-March quarter witnessed a robust 2.5x increase in deal values and 24% increase in deal volumes, demonstrating positive investor sentiment and encouraging deal environment, the report indicated. The energy sector led the deal activity, accounting for 47% of total deal value driven by two deals in the billion-dollar category executed in the oil & gas and power-generation segments.

This article appeared in Financial Express on 13th April, 2018.