Hunger growing for acquisitions

THE appetite for mergers and acquisitions among UK businesses has risen significantly since the start of 2011, according to research from Royal Bank of Scotland.

More than half of medium and large UK companies are now actively considering acquiring a smaller business next year, up from a third.

Businesses are also increasingly looking abroad for targets. The proportion of firms looking to buy or merge with an overseas competitor has more than doubled, to 28 per cent from 12 per cent. RBS questioned leaders of UK firms with turnover of £25m or more.