Western Europe

Jon Moulton: Countdown to 2008

Short and to the point, Alchemy's Jon Moulton is looking forward to profiting from a slowing economy and the possible discomfort his over-leveraged rivals may suffer next year.

German politician demands partial “locust” ban(4)

Peter Struck, head of the SPD faction in the German parliament, is calling for rules to limit private equity’s ability to take controlling stakes in some German companies.

Goldman, Macquarie in $544m garbage deal

The frequent infrastructure investors are backing the management-led buyout of Waste Industries USA, a refuse and recycling company with operations in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia and Tennessee.

Buyouts fall worldwide by 64%(2)

Financial sponsors’ dealmaking fell dramatically last month as the problems in the debt markets dramatically curtailed the buyout boom. Buyout firms represented only 7 percent of overall mergers and acquisitions volume in August.

Walker report vodcast highlights(2)

3i's chief executive Philip Yea, BVCA chairman Wol Kolade, Duke Street Capital's Peter Taylor and others discuss with Sir David Walker the implications of his report on transparency, webcast in partnership with The Daily Telegraph and law firm SJ Berwin.

Candover withdraws its offer for Stork(4)

The UK buyout firm has brought to an end the long-running take-private battle for industrial group Stork and withdrawn its offer, though it is continuing talks.

Warburg Pincus buys stake in Czech internet portal

The global investment firm has done its second European deal this week, buying a stake in NetCentrum, shortly after its stellar exit from Loyalty Management Group.

Warburg Pincus holds $9bn first close

The global private equity firm is well on its way to a target of $12 billion for its tenth fund.

A leisurely approach to buyouts(3)

Amid reports that the Blackstone Group is considering a flotation of restaurant group Tragus, a new report reveals that private equity firms are now the most active investors in UK leisure property.

The CBI backs review of carry tax egged on by unions(3)

Buyout firms came under fire again at the meeting of UK unionists at the TUC, while business lobby group the Confederation for British Industry, led by Richard Lambert, endorsed calls for a wide-ranging examination of the industry’s tax treatment.