May 13, 2021 @ 9:05 pm By Omar Faridi As the world economy continued to rebound during the first quarter of 2021 (after the COVID-19 induced lockdowns across the globe), so too did international mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity, according to a new report released by Pitchbook. Wylie Fernyhough, Senior Analyst, PE Lead, Pitchbook, noted in the report that 8,753 deals closed during Q1 2021 for “a total of $917.7 billion.” Fernyhough added: “Many gargantuan deals closed, including those targeting Refinitiv and Tiffany, which were negotiated in mid-2020. The outlook for the coming quarters may be even brighter. A surge of announced deals, including GE’s $30 billion+ proposed combination between the company’s aircraft leasing unit and AerCap, will buoy results and embolden other boards and dealmakers. The US in particular has been home to several significant announced deals.”