M&A Explorer | As European M&A activity begins to recover after a down cycle, private capital—now a cornerstone of the continent’s deal market—will be a key driver of its return.

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Specialty Finance / Marketplace Lending

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Consumer Finance

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Brokers / Corporate Finance

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Financial Market Infrastructure 

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Payments

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025 — Asset/Wealth Management

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2024 | H1 2025

We highlight the key EU and European M&A trends in H2 2024 and H1 2025, and provide our insights into the outlook for M&A going forward.

M&A Explorer | Public-to-private deal opportunities have provided US private equity firms with a reliable source of transaction flow in a volatile market, with the trend looking likely to continue

M&A Explorer | APAC private equity markets have entered a holding pattern as firms face global trade and tariff uncertainty, but sophisticated managers are uncovering opportunities for investing in high-quality assets at attractive valuations

M&A Explorer | While the direction of the UK economy remains uncertain, dealmaking is flourishing as the country races ahead of its European peers in the M&A market

Some, but not all, investors may face a friendlier climate

Global IPO activity showed steady progress in 2024. Although geopolitical volatility still lingers, the foundations are in place for another solid year

Although European IPO markets still trail pre-pandemic levels, they began an upward trajectory in 2024, with an encouraging pipeline of new IPO candidates lined up for 2025.

US IPO markets entered 2025 well positioned for a promising year as stabilizing interest rates, a business-friendly US administration and the pressing need for private equity firms to exit portfolio companies laid the foundation for a favorable IPO environment, but uncertainty regarding US tariff

Global IPO proceeds improved in 2024, but while some IPO markets performed strongly, others faced a challenging year. In 2025, regional markets appear set to drive IPO themes

Sluggish M&A and IPO markets have put the brakes on private equity exit activity across Europe, but as pressure builds to clear the backlog of unsold portfolio companies, firms are taking innovative approaches to selling businesses

M&A Explorer | Despite prevailing headwinds in wider M&A markets, take-private deal flow across EMEA sustained robust levels of activity as dealmakers jumped at opportunities to buy listed companies at attractive valuations

UK & European Financial Services M&A: Sector Trends H2 2023 | H1 2024 — Specialty Finance / Marketplace Lending