KPMG said on Monday that global mergers and acquisitions were expected to reach a record $6tn by the end of the year as companies continue to use cheap financing and the economy recovers from the epidemic.

Global M & A deals have exceeded $4.3 trillion so far this year, close to the full-year record of $4.8 trillion set in 2015, according to Refinitiv.

This figure is up sharply from $3.6 trillion in 2020. Stephen Bates, a partner at KPMG and head of trading in Singapore, said he saw no sign of slowing, given that the "pent-up energy" of pre-outbreak fundraising was still being fully utilized.

The technology, financial services, industrial and energy sectors accounted for the bulk of this year's deals, led by companies, private equity and special purpose buyout firms.

The u.s. still accounts for the majority of global mergers and acquisitions, but Europe is growing the fastest, up 50% from a year earlier, Mr. Bates said. At the same time, Asia grew 20 per cent year-on-year.

"as interest rates remain low, positive sentiment remains," Bates said. I think this momentum will continue. I think we will see this continue into the first quarter of next year. "