Inbound M&A volume reaches record high of US$23.3b

This is a 332.7% increase over the first nine months of 2011.

Here's more from Thomson Reuters:

Foreign acquisitions targeting Singapore-based companies reached a record high of US$23.3 billion, a 332.7% increase over the first nine months of 2011, driven by Heineken’s interest to increase its stake in Asia Pacific Breweries and announced stake acquisitions of Fraser & Neave by Thai billionaire Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi, through Thai Beverage PCL and TCC Assets Ltd.

Third quarter volume amounted to US$21.1 billion, which grew ten-times from the second quarter of 2012 and 19-times over the third quarter of 2011, is the highest quarterly deal value on record for Singapore’s inbound M&A activity.

Acquisitions from Thailand captured a huge slice of Singapore’s inbound activity with US$14.1 billion, or 60.6%, of which four deals worth at least US$13.0 billion are associated with Thai Beverage PCL and Kindest Place Groups Ltd.

Meanwhile, Netherlands registered US$6.6 billion of announced acquisitions, or 28.2% of the inbound activity. Heineken planned to raise its interest to 81.6% from 41.9%, by acquiring a further 39.7% stake (US$4.4 billion) and launched a mandatory tender offer to acquire remaining 18.4% stake (US$2.0 billion) in Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd.

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