M&A activity in the tech sector is at its highest level since 2000, according to the latest Thomson Reuters report.

So far the value of deals in the sector has reached $52.6 million in 2015. This is 4% higher than this time in 2014 ($50.5 million) and the highest year-to-date figure for January and February since the turn of the century.

The latest deal that has driven the strong start to the year is chip maker NXP Semiconductors NV buying Freescale Semiconductor Ltd, its smaller Texas-based peer, for US$16.1 billion.

>See also: Top 15 M&A deals of 2014 announced

The deal is the fourth largest M&A deal of 2015 so far; and the biggest in the tech sector itself.

In total here have been 19 mega-deals, single transaction with a value of more than $5 billion, since 1st January. This is the highest number at this time of the year since the 1970s.

The NXT deal was by far the highest-value deal in the tech sector this year. The next largest deal was CommScope Holding Co’s acquisitions of TE Connectivity Ltd-Broadband is a deal worth $3.06 billion.

The largest M&A deal involving a UK company so far this year is Hutchison Wampoa’s acquisition of O2 for $15.38 billion.