Emerging economies, led by India, China and the Middle East, are back on the cross-border M&A trail but their developed counterparts are still lagging behind, says a survey by global consultancy firm KPMG.
According to KPMG's latest Emerging Markets International Acquisition Tracker (EMIAT), trade buyers in the emerging economies are already back in full force while the number of deals instigated by buyers in the developed economies is still on the decline.
The number of Emerging-to-Developed (E2D) deals registered in the second half of 2009 was at 102, from 78 deals in the first half of 2009.
In contrast, the number of Developed-to-Emerging (D2E) deals fell to 216, half from its high point of 463 deals in the latter half of 2007.
KPMG's UK-based high growth markets practice Chairman Ian Gomes said, "Much has been said recently about the way in which the competitive threat posed by the emerging and high growth economies has been accelerated as a result of the credit crisis and ensuing recession. These figures bear that out."