Recent Insights

The UK has left the EU but there remains a vast array of operational and legal issues for businesses to address. See below for our perspectives on the key challenges and opportunities that Brexit presents for different industries and sectors.

As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to escalate, ensuring wellbeing of employees is paramount, but it is not the only challenge. There is a vast sway of operational and legal issues that businesses must address, too.

Opportunities in uncertain times  

Despite encouraging signs that economies could reopen as COVID-19 vaccinations are rolled out, additional waves of infections and extended travel restrictions weigh heavily on the leisure and hospitality industry

Commercial chapter 11 filings in the US increased significantly in 2020, but government stimulus measures and widespread availability of fresh capital resulted in fewer corporate restructurings than many anticipated—that could change in the next 12 months

Businesses must be prepared for legal challenges to their activities and proactively take steps to limit their exposure to climate change-related claims

Record SPAC issuance is expected to boost M&A activity, supporting additional leveraged finance issuance, while financial sponsors take advantage of the opportunity to exit existing investments.

COVID-19 disruption and tension between the US and China saw loan and high yield bond issuance decline across Asia-Pacific in 2020, and borrowers and lenders remain cautious

Dealmaking is gradually making a comeback in the sector, both as a means to rebuild hard-hit companies and to meet growing consumer demand

General partner-led fund restructurings accounted for the majority of private equity secondaries volume in 2020 as managers sought liquidity in a flat exit market

In 2020, after a volatile first half, US leveraged finance markets experienced a strong second half and are well-positioned for 2021.

In addition to regulating how CO2 is stored and transported, governments increasingly provide incentives to accelerate adoption of carbon capture and storage

US deal activity held up remarkably well in the face of unprecedented uncertainty in 2020, with total deal value in H2 surpassing the previous year

We highlight the key European M&A trends in the second half of 2020, and provide our insights into the outlook for M&A moving forward.

The European leveraged finance market remains resilient after a year of unprecedented hardship, as lenders dissect credits to determine the best possible deals, from pricing to documentary terms

Miners spent 2020 navigating the unprecedented challenge of COVID-19, and their resilience shone through. ESG was a dominant force but what should we expect as we head into 2021? 

The White & Case Debt Explorer is an interactive tool that puts a wealth of leveraged finance data and more at your fingertips.

Europe's recognition of the importance of fast and reliable connectivity predates the pandemic but as the demand for broadband connectivity has soared due to lockdown measures, how are countries across Europe placed for funding this high-speed provision?

In a year that saw global oil and gas M&A drop dramatically amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian region generated record deal value

Dealmaking within the region has been driven by activity at the top-end of the market, as the region’s prize assets continue to attract dealmaker attention despite the downturn

Hospitality and dining have been buffeted by the pandemic, weighing on deal activity. But Q4 has brought welcome refinancing support and investor confidence.

Leveraged buyout high yield bond and leveraged loan issuance fell in Q3 2020 as a lack of buyout deals in a still cautious M&A market dampened appetite for financing

M&A in Vietnam surged in Q3, thanks to an economy that has proved resilient in the face of a global pandemic

Lockdowns and market volatility have put companies across the board under financial pressure and forced many leveraged finance borrowers into restructurings

The energy transition and a growing need for efficient digital infrastructure are two trends fueling infrastructure dealmaking in 2020

Mining companies entered 2020 in good financial shape and have continued to secure finance despite disruption from COVID-19

The use of net asset value finance by private equity firms has spiked under COVID-19 as managers explore new sources of liquidity in a weak M&A market

Refinancing activity has proven an attractive option amid COVID-19 disruption, with borrowers in good standing seeking to extend maturities and take advantage of low interest rates

Deal activity within the renewables sector has been a bright spot for energy M&A in 2020

Chinese real estate lenders lift APAC high yield bond issuance after an active Q3

COVID-19 split the retail financing market—players of scale with online capabilities thrived, while retailers reliant on brick-and-mortar stores for the bulk of their earnings came under increasing financial pressure

Insights from our M&A team, based on M&A activity charts from the White & Case M&A Explorer.

Global retail M&A value increased year on year, as appetite for supermarket and convenience store assets resulted in big-ticket deals

Dividend recapitalization activity plunged in the immediate aftermath of COVID-19 but, as markets recovered, investor appetite for recap deals swelled

The oil and gas sector has been one of the hardest hit by COVID-19 lockdowns and there has been little relief as restructurings rise across the industry

After taking a deep dive in Q2, US leveraged loan issuance picked up in Q3, while European markets gained year on year

Deal activity fell dramatically in 2020, but Q3 shows signs of recovery

A guide to navigating the rules for investing in countries that require foreign direct investment approval

Despite a drop in activity, public-to-private (P2P) transactions in Europe have continued through 2020, unlike in the US market, where they have fallen sharply

While COVID shut the window on deals in H1 2020, Q3 saw a revival that augurs well for the rest of the year and beyond