Mergers and acquisitions with any MENA involvement reached $44.8 billion during the first half of 2021, a 9 percent decrease in value compared to the same period last year, according to global data provider Refinitiv.

MENA target M&A fell 9 percent in the first half of 2021 with $35.8 billion in total deal value.

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A third of this value came from the $12.4 billion deal of Saudi oil producer Aramco selling a 49 percent stake in its pipelines business to the US based EIG Global Energy Partners.

Outbound M&A recorded a 63 percent increase so far in 2021, with a total of $7.7 billion in deal value and the highest year-to-date total since 2016.

The UK was the most targeted nation for Outbound M&A in MENA followed by the United States.

Inbound M&A recorded its best start to the year since our records began with $21.7 billion in deal value and 157 deals, which is the most recorded in the first half of the year in MENA.

Domestic M&A in the MENA region fell 34 percent from the same period last year accounting for $14.1 billion so far this year.

Saudi Arabia was the most targeted nation with $14.2 billion in M&A activity and accounting for 40% of total target M&A.

JP Morgan topped the any MENA involvement and target M&A league table in the first half of 2021, advising on US$21.7 billion worth of deals.

(Writing by Seban Scaria; editing by Daniel Luiz)

(seban.scaria@refinitiv.com)

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