More than 4,350 merge and acquisition (M&A) deals totaling 48.8 billion USD have been executed in Vietnam during the past decade (2009-2018). The year 2017 witnessed an M&A boom with a total value of transactions amounting to 10.2 billion USD, a growth of 175 percent over 2016. The market size last year increased by nine-fold against 2008, of which the record deal of the decade was 4.8 billion USD that ThaiBev (Thailand) paid for a 51-percent stake in Sai Gon Beer-Alcohol-Beverage Corp (Sabeco). This year, the country’s M&A market is forecast to reach 6.5-6.9 billion USD. In the following years, M&A deals are expected to continue focusing on consumer goods, retail and real estate. In addition, the fields of telecommunications, energy, infrastructure, pharmaceutical and education will also be on radar of investors. According to Nguyen The Phuong, Deputy Minister of Planning and Investment, the process of economic integration and restructuring has accelerated SOE equitisation as well as the development of private sector and foreign investment, opening up more M&A opportunities in Vietnam.-VNA