2023 brought a relatively sluggish year for M&A as macroeconomic conditions kept many key players on the sidelines. However, S&P’s latest analysis predicts that several factors may spur dealmakers into action in 2024.

The decline in deal announcements and total value, observed since 2022, has been attributed to the impact of a rising interest rate environment, leading to increased financing costs and decreased equity prices. While expectations suggest that interest rates will remain somewhat elevated, an end to the Federal Reserve’s hiking cycle will improve the M&A outlook. READ MORE