This week’s Thomson Reuters Investment Banking Scorecard shows bankruptcy-related M&A at a five year high.

There were five bankruptcy-related M&A deals announced during the week, including the acquisition of venture-backed public company Nanogen by French investment holding company Financiere Elitech for $25.7 million. 

So far this year there have been 173 bankruptcy-related deals, the highest level since the same period of 2004 when there were 202.

During 2009 the most bankruptcy-related M&A deals have occurred in the industrials sector with 23 percent, followed by the media and entertainment sector with 16 percent. 

In terms of geography, U.S. targets represent 83 deals or 48 percent of the total of bankruptcy M&A.

This is hardly surprising given the speed with which some of the biggest bankruptcies have happened in the U.S. — with a little help from section 363 easing rapid asset sales at GM and Chrysler.

The rest of the world probably has some catching up to do.

Energy M&A has heated up over the past few weeks, with two large deals possibly on the horizon: the sale of Repsol’s Argentine unit YPF as well as Kosmos Energy’s stake in the Jubilee oil field in Ghana.

If thise deals would happen, it would follow Suncor Energy’s $20 billion takeover of rival Petro Canada, announced earlier this year.

So is M&A in the oil sector heating up? Maybe, but insiders warn that the fluctuations in oil and gas prices could slow the flow of deals.

Historically,  crude oil has tended to trade between 9 to 11 times natural gas prices.  But with crude at around $60 a barrel and natural gas at around $3.35 per million british thermal units, that ratio is currently 18 times natural gas prices.

That suggests gas prices will go up or crude prices will go down. If oil prices drop, then assets that on the market could be pulled, and the M&A market could cool fast.

The following deal-related stories appeared in today’s newspapers:

* British private equity firm Silverfleet Capital has begun exclusive talks to buy German sausage maker Kalle Nalo from rival Montagu Private Equity, the Financial Times said.

* The world’s biggest mutual funds firm, Fidelity Investments, has sought potential candidates to succeed its president Rodger Lawson who rejoined the company in mid-2007, The Wall Street Journal reported.

* Four of the biggest names in the UK digital media scene are teaming up to launch an investment fund for internet start-ups, the Financial Times reported. Michael Birch, co-founder of Bebo, the social network acquired by AOL last year for $850 million, is the cornerstone investor. He is joined by Brent Hoberman, Peter Dubens and Jonathan Goodwin.

All the latest deal news can be found here.

The Thomson Reuters Investment Banking scorecard lands again. Here are the highlights:

BAAT Offers Largest Auto Loan Securitization of 2009

A US asset-backed offering fell among the top global debt deals of the week, as Bank of America Auto Trust (BAAT) offered a $3.9 billion TALF-eligible auto loan securitization, the largest such ABS offering this year.  In total, auto loan backed issues have accounted for 35.7% of US ABS, the largest share of the approximately $80 billion so far in 2009.

As a whole, securitizations are down 30% in the US and 39% globally over 2008 levels.  This week marks the third largest week for ABS activity in the US during 2009 with $9.7 billion of issuance.

Bankruptcy-related M&A at Five Year High

Five bankruptcy-related M&A deals were announced this week, including the acquisition of venture-backed public company Nanogen by French investment holding company Financiere Elitech for $25.7 million.  Year-to-date, 173 bankruptcy-related deals have been announced, the highest level since the same period of 2004 when there were 202.

In 2009 the most bankruptcy-related M&A deals have occurred in the Industrials sector with 23.1%, followed by the media and entertainment sector with 16.2%.  By nation, US targets represent 83 deals or 48.0% of bankruptcy M&A.

Singapore Company Follow-On Activity at Record High

Among the largest equity deals of the week was a $984.6 million follow-on offering by Singapore-based Neptune Orient Lines.  Year-to-date, Singapore follow-on volume totals $7.8 billion from 20 issues, nearly 11 times higher than the same period in 2008 when volume was $707.3 million and the highest year-to-date volume ever.  Total equity and equity related volume in Singapore is also at all-time record levels in 2009, reaching $8.1 billion.

Equity and equity related volume in Asia Pacific stands at $75.6 billion so far this year, a 6% decrease from last year.