Blockbuster transactions drive record deal values A wave of multibillion-dollar acquisitions pushed global mergers and acquisitions activity to unprecedented levels during the first half of 2026, as companies capitalised on a more favourable regulatory environment to pursue…
ng-term strategic transactions. According to LSEG data, the total value of announced M&A deals reached $2.8 trillion during the first six months of the year, representing a 48% increase from the same period in 2025 and the highest year-to-date figure since records began in 1980
Despite the surge in value, overall deal volumes declined. Around 24,000 transactions were announced during the period, down 9% year over year and marking the lowest first-half total in six years. Mega-deals dominate global activity Large-scale transactions were the defining feature of the market.
LSEG data showed 47 deals valued at more than $10 billion were announced during the first half, with a combined value exceeding $1.3 trillion. Those transactions accounted for almost half of all global M&A value, setting a new record for the proportion represented by mega-deals. Among the largest transactions were NextEra Energy’s (NYSE:NEE) $66.8 billion merger with Dominion Energy (NYSE:D) and SpaceX’s (NASDAQ:SPCX) acquisition of Cursor for approximately $60 billion. “Corporates have shown tremendous resilience in the face of geopolitical, monetary, macroeconomic, and even microeconomic volatility,” said Jay Hofmann, JPMorgan’s North America co-head of mergers and acquisitions.