Deal activity in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region fell 19.6% year-on-year (YoY) in the first two months of 2024, according to GlobalData, a London-based data and analytics company. 

Total deals reached 1,843, which included mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity, and venture financing deals, during the period, compared to 2,292 deals a year ago. 

M&A deals dropped by 20.2% in the first two months of 2024 compared to the same period in 2023. Additionally, the number of venture financing deals and private equity deals fell by 17.6% and 45.6% YoY, respectively.

“The deal activity trend for the APAC region was no different from other regions. In line with the global trend, all the deal types under coverage witnessed a YoY decline in volume during January-February 2024,” said Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData. 

Moreover, all the top 10 APAC markets - China, India, Japan, Australia, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia and Thailand - reported declining volume.

“In a challenging global landscape, the decline in deal activity across the APAC region underscores the need for resilience and adaptability within the market,” Bose said. 

While these figures may reflect short-term fluctuations, they present opportunities for strategic recalibration and innovation to drive sustainable growth in the future, he added. 

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com )