Global deal activity began 2026 on a subdued note, with the total number of deals (mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity (PE) and venture financing) announced globally decreased by around 7% year-on-year (y-o-y) during January-February 2026. While some areas of the market showed resilience – most notably venture financing and a strong rebound in China, the broader environment remained weighed down by softer M&A and a pullback in PE activity, according to GlobalData, publishers of RBI. GlobalData F ...