Overseas firms invested US$18.1 billion into Australian companies in the the first half of 2015, down from US$25.3 billion in the first half of 2014, according to Thomson Reuters.
"The bulk of M&A deal flow targeted Australia’s industrials sector with US$6.3 billion, witnessing a six-fold increase in deal value and the highest semi-annual period on record.
"Industrials captured 34.6 per cent of Australia’s inbound M&A activity followed by financials with 31.1 per cent market share," said Thomson Reuters.
The biggest cross-border inbound M&A deal this year remains the US$6 billion acquisition of Toll Holdings Ltd by Japan Post Co Ltd in February.
The pending US$4.6 billion acquisition of GE Capital Finance Australasia by an investor group including KKR & Co. and Deutsche Bank AG is the second-largest cross-border deal.
When it comes to outbound deals, Industry Funds Management's acquisition of the Indiana Toll Road Concession Company in March is the biggest M&A deal of 2015.
Macquarie Bank, AustralianSuper and Slater & Gordon also feature in the top five outbound Australian deals.
Macquarie Group has also been the biggest beneficiary of Australian M&A fees, capturing 20 per cent of the market.
UBS and Goldman Sachs rank second and third, respectively, when it comes to M&A fees in 2015, said Thomson Reuters.
