Dealmakers are no longer waiting for perfect conditions.
In the first half of 2026, transactions closed faster, new deal activity increased, and appetite held firm despite ongoing global volatility.
Our latest report combines exclusive data from the Ideals Virtual Data Room (VDR) with insights from leading M&A experts to reveal the trends reshaping global dealmaking.
Will this new momentum last?
Inside the report:
- Why deal appetite is increasing despite uncertainty
- How deals are closing in record time
- Why faster deals require more work
- How Europe overtook North America in deal speed
- The sectors speeding up and the ones slowing down
- How AI became a cause and a catalyst in M&A
Expert contributors:
- Marc Potel, Head of Industrial M&A, Investec
- Maurice Harbison, Partner, Carlsquare
- Nitin Premchandani, Senior Director, PwC
- David Acharya, Managing Partner, Acharya Capital Partners
