Despite ongoing economic uncertainty amidst a global pandemic, many dealmakers remain optimistic about the outlook for the year ahead as they increasingly pursue alternative merger and acquisition (M&A) methods to navigate the crisis and pursue new disruptive business growth strategies. According to Deloitte?s new ?Future of M&A Trends Survey?, more than 6 in 10 survey respondents expect U.S. M&A activity to return to pre-COVID-19 levels within the next 12 months.