Ernst & Young’s ‘Capital Confidence Barometer’ reveals economic optimism in the region with 70 per cent of Australian and New Zealand companies confident of an increase in deals activity, according to Lawyers Weekly.

Ernst & Young partner Graeme Browning told the publication that it would take several months however before firms were called in on transactions. ‘For lawyers to benefit, the sentiment needs to translate into companies actually doing transactions. That will happen but it will build over the course of the year.’

Divesting assets

The survey also found that divesting assets was also on the agenda, particularly in the resources sector, with large mining companies selling non-core assets which would be bought, he predicted, by smaller companies.
The survey surveyed 1600 global executives on corporate confidence globally.