Cooling Middle East Tensions Could Support Private Equity Deal Activity, Says Blackstone’s Baratta
Joe Baratta, Blackstone's global head of private equity, warned that recent Middle East instability, especially the Iran‑related conflict, has dampened investor confidence and slowed dealmaking. He said a temporary cease‑fire and easing of tensions could revive private‑equity transaction momentum in 2026. Baratta also highlighted AI‑driven market volatility as a parallel source of uncertainty for software‑focused funds. Despite these headwinds, he remains optimistic about long‑term technology investments and stresses the need for realistic exits of aging portfolio companies.
Private Credit Fund Redemption Requests Topped $20bn in Q1
Wealthy investors sought to pull more than $20.8 bn from private‑credit funds in Q1 2026, representing roughly 7% of the sector’s $300 bn of assets under management. Managers such as Apollo, Blackstone, and KKR faced mixed redemption policies, with some lifting the typical...
Serie A Explores PE Interest in International Media Rights Business
Serie A is in talks with private‑equity firms about selling up to 49% of its international media rights unit, which generates roughly €250 million (about $270 million) a year. The league has hired JP Morgan to explore options and could launch a formal...
Democratisation and Secondaries: Where Liquid and Illiquid Converge
Private equity exits and dealmaking are lagging broader M&A activity, putting unprecedented strain on the secondary market's plumbing and engineering. At the same time, democratisation is expanding private‑market assets under management, attracting a wider investor base and amplifying demand for...
Agilitas Sells Integris Composites to Triton After Driving Global Growth
Agilitas Private Equity agreed to sell Integris Composites, a high‑performance survivability‑solutions provider, to Triton Partners, subject to regulatory approval. Since acquiring Integris from Royal TenCate in March 2021, Agilitas helped transform it into a standalone market leader, expanding its presence across...
RBC Leads $1.1bn Loan for ECP’s EnergySolutions Deal
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) syndicated a $1.1 billion senior loan to finance Energy Capital Partners' (ECP) acquisition of EnergySolutions, a leading provider of renewable‑energy infrastructure services. The loan, led by RBC with participation from other banks, will fund the $2.3 billion...
Sixth Street Acquires Majority Stake in Sunderland AFC Women
Sixth Street has acquired a majority stake in Sunderland AFC Women through its Bay Collective platform, marking the firm’s first UK football investment. Sunderland AFC will keep a minority share, while Bay Collective now manages two women’s clubs globally. The...
PE Exits Slow as AI Disruption and Geopolitical Tensions Weigh on Markets
Private equity firms saw exit activity plunge 36% in Q1 2026, with disposals dropping to roughly $103 billion. The slowdown is driven by AI‑related market volatility and heightened geopolitical risk, especially the Iran conflict, which have rattled both private and public‑market...
BoE’s Bailey Warns Private Credit Risks Could Echo 2008 Crisis
Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey warned that recent failures in the private‑credit sector could foreshadow broader systemic risks similar to the 2008 crisis. He cited the collapses of Market Financial Solutions, First Brands and Tricolor as signs of market...
Carlyle Agrees Majority Investment in MAI Capital at $2.8bn-plus Valuation
Carlyle has agreed to a majority investment in MAI Capital, valuing the private‑credit manager at more than $2.8 billion. The deal underscores Carlyle’s push into high‑yield lending platforms as private‑credit assets surge. At the same time, peers such as Blue Owl,...
Congress Quizzes Private Credit Firms Including Blackstone and Ares
Congressional Democrats on the House Financial Services Committee have issued formal inquiries to leading private‑credit firms such as Blackstone, Ares Management, KKR, Carlyle, Apollo, Blue Owl and BlackRock. The questions target fund marketing, valuation methods, fee structures, leverage levels, incentive...
Blackstone Explores $500m IPO for AGS Health in India
Blackstone is in early talks to launch a Mumbai‑based IPO for its AGS Health unit, targeting up to $500 million in proceeds. The offering would combine primary shares and secondary sales, with a valuation goal of roughly $3 billion. AGS Health, founded...
Latest Ares Opportunistic Credit Fund Attracts Nearly $10bn
Ares Management closed its third opportunistic credit fund with over $9.8 billion of commitments, surpassing the original $7.1 billion target. The Ares Special Opportunities Fund III secured $8.3 billion in equity, with the balance coming from co‑investment vehicles, and has already deployed more than...
Behind the Headlines on Private Credit
Private credit faces a dual pressure: retail investors are pulling back from non‑traded BDCs while firms push to bring retirement‑age capital into the broader private market. Redemptions and gating have risen, but they represent a modest slice of total AUM...
Apollo Nears $10bn Acquisition of KKR’s Atlantic Aviation
Apollo Global Management is close to buying Atlantic Aviation for nearly $10 billion, partnering with Singapore sovereign wealth fund GIC for a majority stake while KKR retains a minority interest. The deal would mark KKR’s exit from the private‑jet services provider...
Blackstone Closes $6.3bn Life Sciences Fund
Blackstone announced the closing of its newest life sciences fund at $6.3 billion, topping the original target. The vehicle will back biotech, pharmaceutical and medical‑technology companies from seed to growth stages. Investor enthusiasm for health‑tech has surged since the pandemic, allowing...
Oaktree Credit Fund Meets Full 8.5% Redemption Requests
Oaktree Capital Management fulfilled 100% of redemption requests in its Oaktree Strategic Credit Fund (OSC) for Q1, covering 8.5% of shares. The fund repurchased roughly 6.8% of outstanding shares, while parent Brookfield Asset Management absorbed an additional 1.7%. This contrasts...
Private Credit in 2026: Discipline, Dispersion and Defaults
Private credit markets in 2026 are experiencing a blend of discipline and dispersion as seasoned managers double down on core strategies while newer players spread across niche segments. Overcrowding has compressed yields, prompting tighter underwriting standards and a modest uptick...
Engineering Liquidity: Secondaries in 2026
The Private Equity Wire report, in partnership with SS&C, examines the rapid expansion of the global secondaries market as a tool for liquidity management in private assets. It outlines macro‑level growth drivers, such as heightened demand for portfolio flexibility and...
Sumitomo Life Looks to Allocate $1.9bn to Private Credit
Sumitomo Life announced a plan to allocate roughly $1.9 billion to private credit investments over the next few years. The insurer will concentrate on mid‑market, senior‑secured loan opportunities, leveraging domestic partnerships to source deals. This move follows a broader shift among...
OpenAI Explores $10bn Private Equity Joint Venture
OpenAI is exploring a $10 billion joint venture with private‑equity partners to fund its next‑generation AI models and commercial rollout. At the same time, L Catterton announced a $313 million investment in Japan’s consumer sector, while Apollo is negotiating a minority stake in...
Blackford Capital Unveils New HVAC and Electrical Services Platform Anchored by Habco and Moro
Blackford Capital has created a new HVAC, electrical and construction services platform by merging its recent acquisitions, Habco Partnership and Moro Corporation, under the Habco brand. The combined entity, led by CEO Andrew Habel, offers design‑build electrical, HVAC, structural steel...
EQT Completes Final Exit From Galderma with Record $5bn Block Trade
EQT has completed its final exit from Galderma Group AG, selling roughly 34 million shares for about CHF 4.9 billion ($5.5 billion) in what the firm calls the largest sponsor‑backed block trade on record. The accelerated book‑building process on 13 March generated CHF 1.3 billion for the...
Private Markets Investors Increasingly Favour India over Peers in APAC
India has become the leading private‑markets destination in APAC, with 31% of surveyed limited partners (LPs) ranking it first and 76% placing it among their top three choices. Over half of the LPs plan to increase allocations, and private‑market funds...
The Liquidity Paradox: Hedging in Open-Ended Fund Structures
Open‑ended private‑equity funds must hedge currency risk while promising investor liquidity. Hedging tools such as forwards, swaps, and options protect returns but require collateral that can strain cash reserves. As macro volatility rises, the need for hedging intensifies, creating a...
Amundi to Manage €350m Private Markets Mandate
Amundi has been awarded a €350 million private‑markets mandate, underscoring growing European appetite for alternative assets. At the same time, Asian private‑credit funds are drawing fresh capital as U.S. lenders face tighter conditions. EQT secured a 42% stake in Kelda Holdings,...
Ampersand-Backed Biologos Appoints CEO
Biologos, a life‑sciences manufacturer owned by Ampersand Capital Partners, has named longtime COO Hetal Patel as its new chief executive officer. Patel assumes the role as the firm accelerates investments in manufacturing capacity, including a newly built 32,000‑square‑foot GMP‑compliant facility...
BlackRock Caps Withdrawals From $26bn Private Credit Fund
BlackRock announced it will cap withdrawals from its $26 billion private credit fund to manage liquidity pressures. The move follows a wave of redemption requests as investors chase higher yields amid tightening credit markets. At the same time, peers such as...
KKR Mulls Exit From Data Centre Cooling Specialist CoolIT
KKR is weighing a multibillion‑dollar sale of CoolIT Systems, a data‑centre liquid‑cooling specialist that it bought for roughly $270 million in 2023. The potential transaction could value the company at over $3 billion, reflecting the rapid shift of CoolIT from gaming‑PC cooling...
Advent Discloses Rejected $1.52bn Bid for UK Aerospace Supplier Senior
Advent Capital disclosed that its $1.52 billion offer for Senior, a UK aerospace components supplier, was turned down by the target's board. The rejection comes amid a competitive auction that includes Arcline Investment Management. Senior’s decision highlights valuation gaps between private‑equity...
All Seas Capital Backs Funeral Services Platform Sereni
A wave of private‑equity activity unfolded this week, highlighted by All Seas Capital’s backing of funeral‑services platform Sereni and Maven’s appointment of a new managing partner. Capital Group and KKR teamed up to launch a retail‑focused fund, while Blue Owl’s...
AI in Private Credit: Where It Actually Moves the Needle
Artificial intelligence is gaining traction in private credit as a productivity tool rather than a decision‑making replacement. The technology excels at extracting and structuring data from loan agreements, amendments, and financial statements, cutting down manual document handling. Oxane Partners stresses...
Thoma Bravo Agrees WWEX Deal to Create $12bn Shipping Tech Platform
Thoma Bravo announced it will acquire US logistics provider WWEX Group and merge it with its portfolio company Auctane. The combined entity, valued at up to $12 billion, will unite WWEX’s parcel and freight brokerage network with Auctane’s cloud‑based shipping software...
Bain Capital Invests in Tingstad
Private equity firm Bain Capital announced it will acquire a majority stake in Tingstad, the Gothenburg‑based Swedish distributor of non‑food consumables. The deal, advised by Jefferies and others, keeps founder Paul Jigberg and the management team on board with a...
Apollo Marks Down Credit Fund as Loan Stress Emerges
Apollo Global Management has taken a significant write‑down on its flagship credit fund as loan‑level stress surfaces across its portfolio. The move mirrors similar distress signals from KKR’s FSK fund and Blackstone’s private‑credit vehicle, which also marked down troubled loans....
KKR’s FSK Fund Sees Spike in Troubled Loans
KKR’s publicly traded credit vehicle, FS KKR Capital Corp, dropped 15% after reporting a surge in troubled loans and a cut to its dividend. The $13 billion portfolio, dominated by private‑equity‑backed mid‑market loans, is seeing rising defaults and mark‑to‑market losses, especially...
Oaktree Considers Sale or London IPO of UK Wealth Manager Utmost
Oaktree Capital is weighing a sale or a London IPO for its UK wealth‑management platform Utmost, signaling renewed interest in public market exits for private‑equity‑owned financial services. Meanwhile, Carlyle’s US buyout platform is on track to realise nearly $12 billion in...
Genstar Adds Supply Chain Specialist to Advisory Board
Genstar Capital has appointed a seasoned supply‑chain specialist to its advisory board, aiming to deepen operational expertise across its portfolio. The new member brings over two decades of logistics, procurement and risk‑management experience from leading industrial firms. Genstar expects the...
Prime Capital Revises Target for Debut Infrastructure Debt Fund
Prime Capital has lowered its fundraising goal for the inaugural Prime Sustainable Infrastructure Debt Fund to €200‑250 million, down from the original €300 million, and extended the closing date to July 2026. The fund, launched in Q3 2023, has already...
Capital Constellation Forms Strategic Partnership with Gallatin Point Capital
Capital Constellation announced a strategic partnership with Gallatin Point Capital to co‑invest in lower‑middle‑market companies across North America. The alliance combines Capital Constellation’s deep sector expertise with Gallatin Point’s operational platform and capital resources. Both firms will jointly source, evaluate,...
Honigman Adds Strategic PE Duo to Growing Chicago Office
Law firm Honigman has added Alexander Moss and Injune Park as partners to its Private Equity Practice in Chicago, marking the seventh and eighth partner hires this year, both coming from Benesch. The duo brings extensive middle‑market private‑equity experience, covering...
Breitling Valuation Slashed as CVC and Partners Group Reassess Strategy
Swiss watchmaker Breitling’s valuation has been slashed by up to half from 2023 levels as private‑equity owners CVC and Partners Group reassess strategy amid weaker demand, aggressive store expansion, and US tariffs. CVC now values its remaining 20% stake at...
Global Buyout Firms Face Exit Challenges in China
Major private‑equity firms such as KKR, Blackstone and CVC reported no publicly disclosed full exits from mainland Chinese portfolio companies in 2025. The exit drought reflects strained liquidity, higher interest rates and depressed valuations that have throttled deal activity. While...
KKR Weighs Sale of BMC Helix at up to $1.5bn
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts (KKR) is weighing a sale of BMC Helix, its AI‑driven IT service‑management platform, for up to $1.5 billion. The potential transaction would be one of the larger exits in a market where private‑equity distributions have slipped to near‑2008...
Goldman Sachs’ Petershill Targets $5bn for Fifth Flagship Fund
Goldman Sachs’ alternative investment arm Petershill is launching its fifth flagship fund, aiming to raise about $5 billion, equal to the size of its 2020 fund. The fund will continue the firm’s strategy of taking minority stakes in private‑market managers in...
CVC Explores €1bn Sale of Marina Operator D-Marin
CVC Capital Partners, backed by Goldman Sachs, is testing the market for a potential €1 billion sale of Mediterranean marina operator D‑Marin. The firm targets a valuation that reflects roughly a 15‑times EBITDA multiple on the company’s €70 million earnings. D‑Marin runs...
Blue Owl Sells $1.4bn of Credit Assets to Pension, Insurance Investors
Blue Owl Capital completed a secondary sale of approximately $1.4 billion in private credit assets to a group of pension funds and insurance companies. The transaction, announced in early 2024, marks one of the larger credit‑asset secondary deals this year. Buyers...
KKR, Blackstone Among PE Firms Eyeing IPL Investments
Private‑equity giants KKR and Blackstone are actively scouting investment opportunities in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the world’s most lucrative cricket franchise league. Both firms are reportedly evaluating minority stakes in individual teams as franchise valuations climb above $600 million. The...
Innova Capital Sells Its Stake in OSHEE
Innova Capital’s Innova/6 fund has sold its stake in functional‑beverage brand OSHEE to Mid Europa Partners. Over a seven‑year partnership OSHEE’s revenue surged to over PLN 750 million in 2025 and EBITDA more than quintupled. The company broadened its portfolio, expanded production, and...
