Fundraising

Dutch real estate firm Westplan Investors has raised a $24 million fund focused on the Southeastern US.

There are considerable opportunities in the Chinese non-performing loan (NPL) market, but foreign involvement has so far been scant. Albert McLelland and Sunny Lin cast an eye over recent developments.

Buyouts increase their stranglehold as investment in Europe reaches a new high.

After more than a decade in the market, Deutsche Bank knows how and where to identify undervalued assets. By John Elledge

Conducting due diligence on a GP's track record involves a bit of art, a bit of science and a lot of legwork. By Paul Fruchbom

David Stockman's deal legacy at Blackstone is stellar. But his own private equity fund has hit the skids.

Although some will argue that the fund of fund phenomenon has yet to pass through an inevitable period of contraction, the impact they have already had in bringing private equity into the portfolios of previously untapped institutional investors has been huge. So how are they coping in today's tougher climate?

There's no denying that the mid-market remains the major talking point in a French private equity market wrestling with competition and overly aggressive leverage. But, just over the horizon, lies a vision of a mature industry populated by well-differentiated managers. Andy Thomson reports.

The current increase in fundraising activity is good news for placement agents. But intense competition for mandates and a sharpened focus on professional standards means a shakeout in the industry is likely to occur, writes Philip Borel.

Could the European private equity boom be coming to an end?