The Globe and Mail reports in its Thursday edition that global merger-and-acquistion volumes have hit over $3-trillion (U.S.) so far in 2026, climbing more than 40 per cent from a year earlier. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe quotes Bank of America chief financial officer Alastair Borthwick telling analysts on a call, "Client engagement remained broad-based with activity across capital markets, strategic transactions, liquidity management." Technology companies, particularly artificial-intelligence players and the "picks-and-shovels" businesses supplying the computing infrastructure needed to support the AI boom, have dominated activity in 2026. Activity also accelerated in the health care, utilities and energy sectors. "The pipeline remains quite robust, and the current activity levels seem to be encouraging more activity," JPMorgan CFO Jeremy Barnum said. Morningstar analysts said the "investment banking supercycle" appears to have room to run, though the business remains inherently volatile. The research firm added it does not expect a "material contraction" until 2028 or later. Expectations of stronger investment banking profits have helped lift Wall Street bank shares this year amid concerns about high valuations.