Asia Pacific racks up $666 billion in deal value YTD

It's a record-breaking feat.

It has been noted that Asia Pacific has seen the highest levels of investment on record with total deal value currently at $666 billion.

According to a research note from Baker & McKenzie, this is already 26% higher than the whole of 2013.

The report also noted that it has been a record year for cross-border M&A, which is set for its most successful year since the financial crisis.

At the start of December 2014 cross-border deal values stand at $1,245 billion, already surpassing every year on record except 2007.

The result has been driven by a rise in high-value deals. Deals over $5 billion have contributed to 38% of cross-border M&A totals – their highest percentage since 1999.

Here's more from Baker & McKenzie:

"Globalization is driving strategy," said Tim Gee, global head of M&A at Baker & McKenzie. "Companies want to move into new markets where growth is greater."

M&A investment in the Healthcare sector has been a key driver of the rise in high-value deals.

The sector has had a record-breaking year with total deal values currently standing at $366 billion - 80% higher than last year and the strongest year on record. Of these deals, $257 billion worth were cross-border - 77% of which was made up by high-value deals over 5 billion.

"We see how high-value deals are the result of long-term strategic planning and not just reactions to favourable market conditions. In this year, inversions unlocked some strategic moves that might otherwise have been out of reach.

But changes in tax policy are not going to put a lid on cross-border M&A, which will remain a highly effective tool for implementing strategy. Many companies are planning cross-border transactions in the next few years," said Mr. Gee.