Allen & Overy (A&O) and Paul Hastings took lead roles as China’s Shuanghui secured $4bn (£2.56bn) in debt finance for its takeover of the world’s largest pork producer.

The Hong Kong meat processing giant, which offered to buy Virginia-based Smithfield Foods for a price of $7.1bn (£4.7bn) earlier this year, said it had entered into a facilities agreement with a group of banks which would allow it to raise funds for the acquisition.