European buyout firms are more optimistic of an increase in deal activity over the next year than their counterparts in North America, where the private equity market has left Europe lagging behind in recent years, a new survey suggests.

A survey of 50 private equity practitioners by data provider Mergermarket and financial advisory firm Duff & Phelps on their outlook for the coming year showed that 84% of respondents in Europe expected deal activity to increase in their region over the next year, compared with 56% of firms in North America.