U.S. M&A Activity Slows Amid Global Deal Surge Under Trump Tariff Uncertainty
U.S. merger and acquisition activity declined 5.7% year-to-date through April 28, with deal volume dropping to $586.5 million amid economic tensions sparked by President Trump’s tariff announcements. Global M&A, meanwhile, surged 43% to $702 million over the same period.
The ’Liberation Day’ tariff proclamation in April created market volatility that forced some American companies to pause dealmaking. While Trump temporarily suspended certain duties on April 9 for 90-day negotiations, the lingering uncertainty continues to impact U.S. transaction pipelines.