The number of deals announced in the global retail sector increased by 29.4% during the week ended March 29, 2020, compared to the previous week, according to GlobalData’s deals database.

Aurojyoti Bose, Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “While deal activity remained subdued globally on the back of volatile market conditions due to the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the retail sector witnessed growth in deal activity, which is primarily attributed to growth in debt offering deals volume.”

Most other key deal types witnessed decline in volume. Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) deal volume declined by 21.1%, and the number of private equity and venture financing deals dropped by 50% and 28.6%, respectively.

Bose adds: “The US witnessed growth in deal activity primarily on the back of growth in debt offerings deals. Activity remained mostly flat or with marginal increase/decrease in most of the other key countries.”