Dealmakers Defy Stubborn M&A Market With Rare $1 Trillion Haul

A rush of big, bold mergers and acquisitions is lifting dealmakers in an otherwise slower-than-expected market for getting transactions off the ground.

Global deal values have topped $1 trillion in a third quarter for only the second time on record, according to data compiled by Bloomberg, thanks to transactions like Monday’s roughly $55 billion take-private of video game maker Electronic Arts Inc. by a consortium including Silver Lake Management. It means values are now up 27% at around $3 trillion for the year-to-date and on course for their best finish since 2021.