Goldman Sachs has retained its top spot in global mergers and acquisitions for the first half of the year, according to Thomson Reuters preliminary review of the first half, with a table-topping performance in Europe making up for a fall in the US rankings, in a role reversal from last year.

Thomson Reuters this morning published its preliminary second quarter mergers and acquisitions review, establishing Goldman Sachs at the top of the rankings for worldwide M&A. Morgan Stanley ranked second, while Credit Suisse moved up to third postion from fourth in last year's first half.