Mining deals drop off a cliff in July and August as China retreats to sidelines
The deal-making frenzy in the global mining sector during the first half of the year was followed by a dramatic drop in activity in July and August, according to a new report by consultants PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Figures from the report titled Riders on the Storm show that in July and August the value of global mining deals fell by 49% and deal volumes declined by 25%. The sharp reversal came after a record first half when 1,379 deals worth $71bn were announced even though Chinese entities, firmly focused on value, retreated from iconic western takeovers. Buyers were also willing to pay over the odds for large publicly listed targets – for $500 million+ acquisitions, the average premium was 37%. For sub-$500 million deals, premiums averaged a mere 8%.