Deals

European Bank Stocks Get Boost From Busiest M&A Year Since 2020

  • Bank shares deliver total returns of 32% amid dealmaking surge
  • Lenders fear being left ‘off the dance floor’ without deals
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European banks have attracted the most M&A since 2020 in a flurry of dealmaking that has powered peer-beating performance in their stocks and looks set to spill over into next year.

Banking deals announced in 2024 have topped $41.5 billion, data compiled by Bloomberg show. Overall, financial companies have served up the biggest slice of European M&A among sectors this year, accounting for 17% of the total.