原標題：Coronavirus takes toll on global M&A as $1 billion deals disappear
報道：Kane Wu
編輯：Jennifer Hughes和Richard Pullin
HONG KONG (Reuters) - For the first time since September 2004, no merger and acquisition deal worth more than $1 billion was announced worldwide last week, according to data provider Refinitiv, as the new coronavirus stifles global M&A.
（路透社香港）-根據數據提供商Refinitiv的信息，由於新冠病毒的抑制，自2004年9月以來，上週全球範圍內首次未出現超過10億美元價值的併購交易。
The dearth of mega deals comes as countries across the world have shut down large swathes of their economies as they battle the COVID-19 pandemic that has infected over 2.33 million people and claimed 165,000 lives.
造成大型交易的匱乏的原因是：世界各國在與新冠病毒鬥爭時停止了其大部分經濟行為。新冠病毒已感染超過233萬人，並奪走了16.5萬人的生命。
Worldwide merger activity so far this year is down 33% from a year ago and at $762.6 billion is the lowest year-to-date amount for dealmaking since 2013, the data showed. The number of deals also fell 20% year-on-year.
數據顯示，今年以來，全球併購總額為7,626億美元，同比下降33％，是自2013年以來的最低額。交易筆數也同比下降20％。
“We anticipate that there may be fewersigned deals announced this quarter as parties take longer to work through theimpact of the COVID-19 situation,” said Robert Wright of law firm Baker McKenzie's Asia-Pacific M&A group.
貝克·麥堅時（Baker McKenzie’s）律師事務所亞太地區併購小組的羅伯特·賴特（Robert Wright）說：“我們預計本季度的成交量可能會減少，因為各方需要花更長時間來應對新冠病毒造成的影響。”
“However, where parties have completed underlying due diligence processes and where there remain strong fundamentals, we do expect to see a number of these deals to come back online.”
“但是，在各方已完成基本盡職調查程序且認為具備良好交易基礎時，我們確實希望看到其中一些交易能夠重新上線。”
Companies have been walking away from announced transactions amid changed deal conditions and high levels of uncertainty.
在交易條件變化和高度不確定性的背景下，公司已遠離之前已宣佈的交易。
Canada’s Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc (ATDb.TO) on Monday said it would shelve its $5.6 billion buyout of petrol station operator Caltex Australia Ltd (CTX.AX), as fuel demand plunges and as companies look inward to get through the crisis.
週一，加拿大燃料庫車公司表示，由於燃料需求暴跌以及各家公司希望通過保守操作化解危機，它將擱置其以56億加元收購加油站運營商加德士澳洲公司的交易。
Regulators worldwide have also toughened rules for foreign investments to protect national assets. India last week ruled that investments by an entity from a country that shares a land border with it will require government approval in a move to curb “opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions”.
全世界的監管機構也強化了外國投資規則以保護本國資產。印度上週規定，與其鄰接的國家的實體如要進行投資需經政府批准，以此遏制“機會性收購”。
Australia and Germany have also stepped up scrutiny over overseas investors.
澳大利亞和德國也加強了對海外投資者的審查。
With big deals largely put on hold as buyers wait to gauge the true impact of the pandemic, dealmakers are seeking other, related work on companies needing rescues, restructurings and potentially nationalizations as governments and central banks try to shore up their economies.
由於買家正等待新冠病毒真實影響的評估結果，大宗交易基本上被擱置，隨著各國政府和央行試圖採取支撐經濟的手段，交易者們正努力尋求被救助，重組和可能被國有化的公司的其他相關機會。
Still, efforts to recover from the virus-driven downturn are set to support M&A activity.
儘管如此，為恢復因病毒造成的影響而做出的這些努力的目的仍是支持併購活動。
Some 56% of more than 2,900 executives surveyed globally by consultancy EY were planning an acquisition in the next 12 months, as they need to look beyond the current crisis to secure long-term growth, the firm said in a March report.
諮詢公司安永在3月份的一份報告中稱，在接受其調查的全球2,900多名高管中，約56％的高管正計劃在未來12個月內進行收購，因為他們需要將目光放得更遠，以確保長期增長。
“If there is any prolonged downturn due to the current crisis, executives may be bolder in their ambitions and look to acquire those assets that will help them accelerate into an upturn faster,” the report said.
該報告還稱：“如果當前危機造成持續的低迷，高管們可能會抱有更大的野心，並希望更快獲得能夠幫助他們加速回升的資產。”
