Nick Train: Uptick in M&A signals greater confidence

According to the Bloomberg mergers and acquisitions (M&A) ticker, October saw 3,246 global corporate transactions amounting to an aggregate value of $595bn (£468bn). The deals were done at an average premium to market of 19%. That deal value makes October the fourth biggest month for M&A in history. So far in 2016 global deals are running at a value of $4.1 trillion - a rate that, if maintained to year-end, would leave this year's M&A activity 10% lower than 2015's. Putting that drop in context though, 2015 was by some margin the biggest year ever for M&A - its $5.6 trillion taking out 2...