BNP Paribas top 2006 M&A adviser in France [the company gave $1.5B in kickbacks to Saddam's gov't]

Reuters ^ | Jan 1, 2007

[jdm]

PARIS, Jan 1 (Reuters) - BNP Paribas was France's top M&A adviser in 2006 for the second year running, ahead of U.S. rivals Goldman Sachs and Merrill Lynch, a report by financial newspaper L'Agefi said on Monday.

L'Agefi said BNP Paribas advised on 50 deals during the year worth a total 119.1 billion euros, a record for the French bank. Goldman Sachs advised on 20 deals worth 112.4 billion euros and Merrill Lynch 23 deals valued at 99.4 billion euros.

Both BNP Paribas and Goldman Sachs advised on one of the biggest deals of the year -- steel producer Mittal's 24.6 billion euro takeover of rival Arcelor.

Citigroup was fourth in the French M&A market, advising on deals worth 76.2 billion euros, L'Agefi said. Societe Generale was fifth with deals worth 73.5 billion and Rothschild sixth, advising on 57 deals worth 70.9 billion.

Europe as a whole registered mergers and acquisitions worth more than $1.360 trillion in 2006, topping the previous record of $1.2 trillion in 1999, according to preliminary figures from finance industry data provider Thomson Financial.

After what was also the biggest year to date for private equity deals, investment bankers see few signs yet that 2007 will mark the turn in the bull market in stocks, bonds and M&A that earned them record-breaking revenues in 2006.

[jdm]

This is the same company involved in the big oil-for-food scandal. The Iraqi's are suing BNP Paribas and another company for $200 Million.

Funny how Reuters always leaves these little details out.

Iraqis Sue Over Oil - For - Food Program