According to preliminary statistics from THOMSON FINANCIAL, 2006 is turning out to be an even more exceptional year for global mergers and acquisitions, following on from 2005, which was already very good. In the first three months of the year, the amount spent on operations of this kind was up by 44% on the first quarter of 2005 and stands at USD 881.4 billion. Europe has been very active in this area, accounting for USD 386 billion of operations up to 23 March. Mergers of European companies (USD 156.3 billion) reached their highest ever level since 2000. 1999 still retains the record (312 billion). At a global level, the biggest merger and acquisition was the US takeover by ATT of BELL SOUTH (USD 89.4 billion). The second biggest was German-Spanish (E.ON offer on ENDESA for USD 56.7 billion) and the third biggest was French (SUEZ-GAZ DE FRANCE for USD 44.8 billion). The USA is top of the world league by spending USD 316 billion on mergers and acquisitions. Spain and France are front-runners too in third and fourth place respectively (USD 69.2 billion) (USD 64.2 billion.