Singaporean companies' M&A deals crashed 39.1% to US$36.3b

It's the lowest annual level since 2009.

According to Thomson Reuters, the value of announced M&A deals involving Singaporean companies this year totaled US$36.3 billion, a 39.1% decline from the annual period in 2012, and witnessed the lowest annual level since 2009 when volume dipped US$22.6 billion.

In 2012, there have been at least two announced deals worth US$3-billion-and-above but none this year.

Here's more from Thomson Reuters:

During the fourth quarter of 2013, overall Singapore M&A activity reached US$7.3 billion, a 28.3% sequential decline from third quarter of 2013 (US$10.2 billion) and a 48.3% drop from fourth quarter of 2012 (US$14.1 billion). Completed M&A activity totaled US$32.3 billion so far this year, down 7.8% from the 2012 M&A activity.

Total cross-border deal activity slowed down 46.3% to US$19.7 billion compared to 2012 (US$36.8 billion), the lowest annual level since 2009 (US$14.1 billion). Singapore’s inbound & domestic M&A activity fell 82.6% and 36.6 in terms of deal value from 2012, respectively. Outbound M&A activity grew 22.2% to US$15.5 billion over the same period last year.

In broader Southeast Asia, deal value fell 32.6% to US$84.6 billion from the same period last year. Inbound acquisitions in Southeast Asia reached US$20.4 billion with Singapore accounting for 20.5% of the market activity, and following behind Thailand (30.6% market share) as the most targeted nation in the sub-region.