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 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%. These premiums were also on the heels of a 42% jump in public mining companies’ market values over the last year.

The author of the report, PwC global mining leader Tim Goldsmith said: “While the western world operates on three- month forecasts, the Chinese are operating on longer term plans, making this blip largely irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.”