If predicting the next big merger, acquisition or initial public offering was easy we would all start up event-driven hedge funds and watch the cash flood in. Sadly, it rarely works out like that. Company executives change their minds, markets fluctuate, the macroeconomic climate shifts and deals that looked like dead certs six months ago fall by the wayside. That hasn’t stopped our colleagues at Dow Jones Investment Banker from bravely sticking their neck out and giving it a go.

DJIB is a news and analysis service for senior bankers that is staffed by former bankers, top-rated analysts and senior journalists. Here are some of DJIB's predictions for the deals and trends we can expect to see in 2011.