Global execs cool on deals amid trade uncertainty

LONDON — Executives around the world are cooling to the idea of mergers and acquisitions in the face of rising trade tensions, notably between the U.S. and China, a leading adviser on international corporate deals said Monday.

In its half-yearly assessment of corporate mergers and acquisitions, or M&A, EY found that only 46 percent of executives are planning a takeover in the next 12 months. That’s down 10 percentage points from a year ago and marks the lowest level in four years.

“Geopolitical, trade and tariff uncertainties have finally caused some dealmakers to hit the pause button,” said Steve Krouskos, a global vice chair at EY. “Despite stronger-than-anticipated firsthalf earnings and the undeniable strategic imperative for deals, we can expect this year to finish with much weaker M&A than how it started.”

EY highlighted the dispute between the U.S. and China and uncertainty over Britain’s looming exit from the European Union as key reasons behind the decline in executives’ interest in deals.

The former has already led to an increase in tariffs, while Brexit could still yet, especially if Britain does not secure a deal with the EU over future relations ahead of next March’s departure.

Higher tariffs have the potential to weigh on global growth, especially if countries retaliate against each other in a vicious cycle.

In a separate report Monday, ING Bank said it expects trade growth to almost halve in 2018, to 2.6 percent, and to drop to 1.3 percent in 2019, the lowest level since the trade collapse of 2009. It said rising protectionism is one key reason behind the slowdown.

EY also found that many of the upcoming deals that are being considered are in places where trade uncertainties are highest, as the executives try to pre-empt a potential change in the legal landscape.