The surprisingly strong bull market in commodity prices in 2016 contributed to increased activity in mining and metals deals in Africa, says Quintin Hobbs, Africa mining and metals transactions leader at Ernst & Young. Organizations ran leaner and more efficient, with stronger balance sheets. The outlook improved so significantly through the course of 2016, that the predicted level of divestments and assets listed at rock-bottom prices at the beginning of 2016 just didnât materialize, another expert said.