UK Companies Leading In Mergers

British companies are the most acquisitive on the global merger stage, according to a survey by KPMG Corporate Finance of 3,800 cross-border mergers, acquisitions, and strategic investments in the first nine months of 1999. UK companies acted as acquirers in deals with a total value of US$202 billion. Front runners were Vodafone's $69.3 billion acquisition of Airtouch and Zeneca's merger with Sweden's Astra AB which was valued at $37.7 billion. UK companies have been responsible for 33% of global transactions, followed by the US ($113 billion) and France ($74 billion).