Group 1 - The announcement of tariffs by President Trump on April 2 has led to a significant decline in merger and acquisition (M&A) activities, with April's global M&A contracts dropping to the lowest level in over 20 years, totaling 2,330 deals, which is 34% lower than the historical monthly average [1] - The total value of global M&A activities fell to $233 billion in April, a 54% decrease from March and 20% lower than the average for the past 20 years [4] - In the U.S., only 555 deals were completed in April, marking the lowest level since May 2009 [1][4] Group 2 - Uncertainty surrounding U.S. trade policies has led investment bankers to advise clients to hold off on M&A and IPOs until there is more clarity [4] - Despite the overall decline, significant transactions like Global Payments' $24.25 billion acquisition of a credit card processing company provided some support to the struggling market [4] - The technology sector accounted for nearly 40% of the $600 billion in deals signed in the U.S. this year, with a focus on intellectual property rather than physical goods affected by tariffs [7] Group 3 - Different industries are experiencing varying impacts from the tariffs, with sectors like telecommunications, media, and utilities being less affected, while industrials and healthcare face greater challenges [7] - Investment banks are advising clients to thoroughly understand the additional risks associated with target companies' business models due to the current volatility in the market [7]