The registration of mergers and acquisitions leads us to think how long it will last | Economy | companies

The multimillion dollar operations that will redefine the health and media sectors should make 2018 the best record year for global mergers and acquisitions. Now after five unprecedented years of extraordinary activity, the agreement negotiators are beginning to call for caution.

Companies announced transactions of 2.1 billion US dollars in the first half of 2018, which is headed this year According to data collected by Bloomberg

the 24 acquisitions of more than 10 000 million US dollars have pushed up the numbers, including the purchase of Shire Plc. by Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. for $ 62,000 million and the takeover of Sprint Corp. by T-Mobile US Inc. for 26,500 million US dollars.

As the strength of mergers and acquisitions continues, some counselors begin to wonder how long this delusion can continue. In total, unlike the Internet bubble in 2000 or the subprime crisis of 2007, this time, no clear threat is looming on the horizon. However, several warning signs are mentioned as possible dangers.

"US and European merger markets are going full steam ahead and we are in a good time to take risks," said Eamon Brabazon, co-director of mergers. "What seems to be normalizing over time," he said, citing potential headwinds such as high valuations, regulatory uncertainty and antitrust regulations. and geopolitical risks.

"Anyone who has seen this and regularly participates in the mergers and acquisitions market, should be aware that at some point, some of these risks could exert a cooling influence on the market," Stephen said. Arcano, M & A Partner and Head of Global Transactions at Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP.

But for the moment the appetite for acquisitions remains strong. On Wednesday, 21st Century Fox Inc. of Rupert Murdoch raised its bid for Sky Plc, which upgrades the station to 24.5 billion pounds ($ 32 billion) and enhances Comcast Corp's previous bid.

Since the S & P 500 index hit a record high in January, an increasingly wide-ranging war with China and geopolitical tensions around US relations with North Korea and the # Iran has agitated the markets.

Regulatory bodies such as the US Foreign Investment Committee. They took strong action against local business purchases by potential foreign buyers, which hindered the biggest deal of the year when the agency said the attempt by Broadcom Inc. to acquire Qualcomm Inc. could pose a risk to national security. . The US President Donald Trump halted the deal in March

Investors are also beginning to call for caution with respect to record levels of mergers and acquisitions, which has reduced equity firms that have announced the highest level of agreements in at least ten years.