Dealmaking in the U.S. energy industry improved in the second quarter after five subdued quarters and activity is expected to accelerate in the second half of the year, consultant PwC said in a report on Thursday. Stabilizing crude oil prices and optimism that a recovery is within sight has narrowed the bid-ask spread among oil producers, which led to the higher deals being struck, PwC said. While the number of deals in the sector rose to 51 in the second quarter from 39 in the first quarter, the overall value of the deals fell to $26.1 billion from $28.1 billion, PwC said. A majority of the deals – 35 out of 51 – were among oil and gas producers, and represented an 84 percent rise from the first quarter, […]