In January, the total value of global private equity and venture capital entries decreased 16.8% to $24.45 billion compared to $29.37 billion during the same period a year prior, according to S&P Global Market Intelligence data. It was the lowest January total in at least five years.

The number of deals also declined to 959 from 1,134 a year prior.

January deal value was the lowest monthly total in the last 12 months and was down by 30.4% from December 2023. Deal volume was up slightly to 959 compared to the month prior.

In terms of deal count, Asia-Pacific reported the biggest number of announced deals in January at 396, compared with 334 transactions in the same month in 2023. The US and Canada recorded 299 announced deals in January, while Europe saw 222 deals.

– Download a spreadsheet with data in this story. – Read about global private equity entries in fourth quarter 2023. – Explore more private equity coverage.

Technology, media and telecommunications was the most invested sector in January with 331 private equity-backed transactions. Within the sector, application software companies had the highest number of deals with 165, although deal count dropped from 202 transactions in January 2023.

The electronic equipment and instruments subsector and systems software subsector tallied 30 and 26 deals in January, respectively.

In the largest announced transaction in January, data center campus company Vantage Data Centers Management Co. LLC is set to receive $6.4 billion in equity investment from funds managed by DigitalBridge Group Inc. and Silver Lake Technology Management LLC.

Arcline Investment Management LP's announced acquisition of Kaman Corp. for about $1.8 billion was the second-largest private equity-backed deal in January. J.P. Morgan Securities LLC, Skadden Arps Slate Meagher & Flom LLP and Wiggin and Dana LLP acted as Kaman's advisers on the transaction. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, Latham & Watkins LLP and Paul Hastings LLP are Arcline's advisers.