Highly competitive and liquid markets saw leveraged loan issuance in the US and Europe surge, while activity in Asia-Pacific dipped despite high-profile jumbo deals

Borrowers in the United States, Europe and Asia are tapping buoyant bond markets to extend maturities and refinance existing debt at cheaper rates

Signs of a rebound follow last year's pullback in private equity real estate deals

A string of deals took place in the first quarter as energy firms look to capitalize on offshore wind's potential  

More than any other factor, the energy transition motivates utilities deals worldwide

In Q1 2021, private equity activity reached its highest quarterly value in more than a decade

COVID-19 disruption has had little impact on borrowers' ability to refinance debt and extend loan maturities

SWFs acquired more deals in 2020 as they hunted for stable returns in volatile times

When COVID-19 closed the IPO window at the start of last year, expectations were bleak. But the market fought back and 2020 ended on a high.

As the pandemic continues to overshadow financial markets and the global economy, the following factors will have a major impact on the IPO market in 2021

Early-year highs gave way to a pandemic-driven downturn, which was then followed by a revival in H2

IPO activity ground to a halt following the outbreak of the pandemic, but activity in the second half of the year more than made up for the downturn

As the dust begins to settle, shareholder activists are making a comeback

In its second year of operation, the Swedish FDI Act has become a standard component of a large portion of all transactions involving Swedish companies.

In December 2023, Sweden adopted and implemented a new FDI regime, meaning that a general FDI screening mechanism now applies in relation to investments in certain Swedish businesses.