If you are investment planning in Cheshire, a new report has highlighted the strength of the North West over the last year.
Private equity investment in the region totalled £20 billion in 2024, representing an increase of 41%. The data is indicative of a more benign economic climate for the UK during this period, on the back of lower inflation and interest rates, a more stable political landscape following the General Election, and an increase in transactions ahead of scheduled adjustments to Capital Gains Tax.
Outside of London, the North West accounted for around 12.5% of all new private equity investment in the UK. The overall level of investment in the region was up by 71% compared to 2022, with the volume of deals up from 165 to 203 year-on-year.
Figures for the UK as a whole revealed that total private equity investment activity was up 12% in 2024, amounting to 1,699 completed transactions – together valued at £158.9bn. Overall, business services led the private equity deal market, constituting 43% of 2024 deals, which is a rise of over 10% on the previous year.
The tech and telecommunications sector saw deal volumes up almost 19% year-on-year with cumulative values up nearly 58%. For their part, financial services accounted for 11% of deals, and 14.6% of the value, while energy represented 3% of deals, and 4.7% of the overall value.
Another sector that bounced back was Retail and Consumer Goods, with volumes up 5.3% – pointing to an improvement in consumer confidence over the year.
