Strategic Horizons Live: Global markets and M&A outlook

Oaklins recently hosted its latest Strategic Horizons Live webinar, bringing together senior experts from across Europe and the USA to discuss the evolving global economic landscape, M&A activity and debt market dynamics.

A highlight of the session was the market and macroeconomic outlook presented by Roger Lee, our in-house economist. Roger shared his perspective on the impact of geopolitical tensions, oil price volatility and inflationary pressures on global markets, while also outlining potential scenarios for interest rates, equity markets and investor sentiment in the months ahead.

The webinar explored how shifting macroeconomic conditions are reshaping investment strategies and M&A activity globally, while also highlighting the resilience of middle-market dealmaking and the continued availability of capital for high-quality transactions.

Key discussion points included:

Roger Lee’s outlook on oil prices, inflation and the potential reversal of current market trends once geopolitical tensions ease
Continued resilience in European and North American M&A markets despite ongoing uncertainty
Strong private equity appetite driven by significant undeployed capital (“dry powder”)
AI emerging as a major driver of strategic acquisitions across multiple sectors
Growing momentum in energy transition, industrial and infrastructure-related transactions
Increased selectivity from lenders, while financing remains attractive for top-level assets
Rising cross-border M&A activity as companies seek growth, resilience and access to new technologies

Watch the full video recording