Deal Volume Falling Fast

We all know that 2008 deal volume has been circling the drain, and now we have some dispiriting numbers to back it up.

Daddy Thomson says that there have only been 102 leveraged buyouts so far this year, valued at $7.8 billion. That’s a global figure, and is off 73.2% from a $29.1 billion mark at this time in 2007.

The numbers get slightly better if you look at M&A activity by LBO-backed portfolio companies, but not by much. That figure stands at $14.6 billion so far in 2008, which is off 69.52% from the $47.9 billion worth of deals done at this time last year.

Oh, and just to be clear, few are expecting things to change any time soon…