Canadian M&A activity jumps 37 pct, Barclays leads on advisory: Reuters

(Reuters) – Driven by brisk activity in the oil, gas and infrastructure sectors, the total value of M&A deals in Canada jumped by 37 percent to US$89.5 billion in the first half of 2014, according to data released by Thomson Reuters on Thursday.

All told, more than 1,370 acquisitions were counted in Canada, while equity and debt issuance also rose as Canada’s main stock index rose to near-record levels, according to Thomson Reuters league tables data for the first half of 2014.

London-based Barclays led in M&A by deal value, advising on 12 transactions worth a total of US$21.9 billion. U.S.-based Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley finished second and third, completing a sweep for foreign banks.

Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), Canada’s largest bank, finished fourth in M&A, but led investment banks in advising on debt and equity issuance.

Equity deals reached $20.8 billion, up 43 percent from the first half of 2013, led by the sale of about $2.6 billion CI Financial shares, part of Bank of Nova Scotia‘s divestiture of its 37-percent stake in the company.

RBC advised on $3.2 billion of equity issuance, while Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and Bank of Montreal finished second and third.

Debt issuance rose 7 percent to $90.9 billion, with RBC accounting for $20 billion, topping Toronto-Dominion Bank and CIBC.

(Reporting by Cameron French; Editing by W Simon)

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