Deal-making is back as S-EA corporates prowl for acquisitions: EY

DEAL-MAKING is back on the South-east Asian corporate agenda, fanned by a bigger appetite for acquisitions.

Fifty-three per cent of South-east Asian companies polled by professional services firm EY are looking to acquire businesses in the next 12 months - the highest number in two years and a sharp increase from just 24 per cent six months ago.

"This is a strong signal that companies in the region are considering M&A (mergers and acquisitions) as a route to consolidate growth," EY said in its 8th South-east Asia edition of the Capital Confidence Barometer.

Riding on the macroeconomic stability of the region, South-east Asian companies also see higher corporate earnings and steady growth in hirings in the next 12 months across all six countries of Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.