KUALA LUMPUR: Despite tougher market conditions faced by the Malaysian capital markets in 2014, CIMB Group Holdings Bhd ended the year first in Bloomberg’s Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A) and Debt Capital Market (DCM), as well as first in Dealogic’s Equity Capital Market (ECM) league tables.

In a statement yesterday, CIMB said it had been involved in several notable deals in 2014 including M&As such as SapuraKencana Petroleum Bhd’s US$898 million (RM3.21 billion) acquisition of Newfields Malaysia Holding Bhd, Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd’s acquisition of a 40% stake in Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen and a 40% stake in LGM Havalimani, and Goldis Bhd’s RM2.6 billion acquisition of equity interest in IGB Corp Bhd.

In the ECM sector, CIMB’s notable deals included the award-winning UMW Oil and Gas Corp Bhd’s RM2.7 billion initial public offering (IPO), as well as 7-Eleven Malaysia Holdings Bhd’s RM834 million IPO.

CIMB said its DCM’s activities included several sovereign and award-winning deals such as Khazanah Nasional Bhd’s US$500 million exchangeable sukuk and KLCC Real Estate Investment Trust RM3 billion Sukuk Murabahah Programme.

CIMB acting CEO Tengku Datuk Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz said these league table positions represent the group’s strengths and abilities, despite the weaker capital market environment.

This article first appeared in The Edge Financial Daily, on January 8, 2015.