Deal-making down as inflation, rate hikes spur caution

By DAMIAN J. TROISE
AP Business Writer

Companies hit the brakes on deal-making during the first half of 2022 as concerns over pervasive inflation, interest rate hikes and the threat of a recession loomed over Wall Street. Companies announced $2.2 trillion worth of buyout deals in the first half, a 21% drop from a year earlier. The number of deals also fell, dropping 17% during that period according to Refinitiv. It’s the slowest start to the year for deal-making since the pandemic stunned markets in 2020.