Despite early uncertainty about market volatility, global M&A activity is up 2 percent compared to last year, totaling $1.6 trillion for the first half of 2017, according to league tables released by Bloomberg LP and Thomson Reuters Corp.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom topped league tables when measured by number of deals by value during the first half of 2017. The firm’s lead roles on deals like Intel Corp.’s $15.3 billion sale to Mobileye NV and Becton, Dickinson & Co.’s $24 billion buy of C.R. Bard Inc. helped it rack up transactional work totaling nearly $167 billion during the first two quarters, according to Thomson Reuters.
