PR firms Bruswick Group and FD are the top financial PR firms for the year so far, acording to new research released by mergermarket.

Mergermarket’s research shows Bruswick was the top PR firm for the first three quarters of the year, having been involved in 99 deals totalling 239 billion.

Next is FD, totting up 137 deals worth 94 billion. According to mergermarket’s research, the largest merger deal to date – that between mining companies BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto – has caused movement in the league of financial PR tables it publishes each year.

The results show Smithfield Consultant has jumped from the 16th spot into third position, with Gavin Anderson moving from 20th place to fourth. Both firms are advising on the deal, as is Brunswick.

The global financial situation has also had an impact on the research, with deal value down 25% compared to last year’s results. Deal activity is also down, dropping 35% compared to the previous survey.

Within Europe, the UK and Ireland account for the lion’s share of all merger activity, with results showing the UK and Ireland account for 25% of all deals.