Mergers and acquisitions were announced in industries across the board. Xerox will buy Affiliated Computer Services in a deal valued at $6.4B, Kraft is still well-positioned to acquire Cadbury in a deal worth $17.6B, and Abbott Laboratories will pay $6.6B acquire the drug unit of Solvay, a Belgian conglomerate.

As larger companies start to put their cash to work, the middle market should be soon to follow.