If you just read the surface headlines, the merger and acquisition (M&A) market appears to be recovered. According to BCG, deal value in the first half of 2026 came in around $1.6 trillion, up roughly 28% year over year and the strongest first half since the 2021 boom. Bain, measuring a slightly different window, put the first five months at $2.4 trillion, up 41%, and PwC has full-year value on track for about $4 trillion.
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