Company mergers and acquisitions were worth €12.4 billion in 2005, up 31% on 2004 despite a fall in the value of deals in the last three months of the year.
Figures from corporate finance firm Ion Equity show that the value of deals in the final quarter of 2005 was €2.9 billion, compared with €4 billion a year earlier. But the number of deals rose from 43 to 57, with the 2004 figure distorted by Danske Bank's €1.4 billion acquisition of National Australia Bank's Irish operations.
The fourth quarter was dominated by deals in the construction and leisure/travel sectors, which accounted for 42% each of the total value of deals. These were led by CRH and the takeover of hotels group Jurys Doyle.
