Last year was a record for foreign takeovers of UK companies, with 734 UK firms acquired by overseas buyers in 2021 —reflecting a 400% rise since 2015.

The impact of concerns over Brexit and Covid-19 saw takeover deals in Europe by UK investors slump last year, according to new figures.

The coronavirus pandemic and Brexit hampered deal activity between the UK and continental Europe in 2020, with the number of European businesses bought by UK acquirers falling by nearly a third.