How do you build a company-deal-trend cluster for IB interviews?

Prepare a 'cluster' of 3-5 companies, 2-3 deals among them, and 1-2 underlying trends. When asked about any element, thread your answer back to the others. This demonstrates connected thinking rather than isolated factoid recall. Answer the question asked, then stop. Let the interviewer pull deeper into your prepared territory.

The cluster method means building an interconnected knowledge web around a specific sector. Pick companies you genuinely follow, link them through recent deals and macro trends, and practice entering from any angle. The goal is to steer every market question into your prepared cluster so follow-ups land on terrain you control.

Name a specific company and connect it to both a transaction and a trend. Cover the business in one line, give approximate but credible financials versus peers, then explain two reasons it caught your attention: a recent deal and the macro trend it plays on. Answer, then stop, and let the interviewer pull deeper into your cluster.

Prepare 3-5 companies, 2-3 deals among them, and 1-2 underlying trends. Quality beats quantity. Each company should connect to at least one deal and one trend in your cluster. Deep knowledge of a focused set is far more impressive than shallow awareness of dozens of names.