China and Brazil left out of global M&A boom

LONDON: In a year of potentially record global dealmaking, executives are turning a cold shoulder to buying companies in China, Brazil and other emerging markets.

The culprits: geopolitical uncertainties, market and currency volatility and a slump in commodity prices. Deals to buy companies in emerging markets are headed for their quietest year since 2009 – at a time when the dollar amount of global transactions this year is poised to surpass the US$4.2 trillion achieved in 2007, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.