Forecast predicts sharp plunge in UK merger activity

Mergers and acquisitions in the U.K. are likely to drop sharply this year amid uncertainty over Britain’s relationship with the European Union , according to research released Monday. The value of deals is expected to fall to $125 billion this year from $340 billion in 2016 as Britain begins to negotiate its exit from the EU, the law firm Baker McKenzie , a leading adviser on corporate transactions, said in a report.