Transaction volume in the global asset management industry in the first quarter of 2010 declined significantly from 2009, but according to Jefferies’ financial institutions group M&A involving managers of alternative strategies and independent firms is on the rise. A record level of over 50 per cent of Q1 2010 global

Private equity investments in India in quarter one 2010 climbed to the highest level in six quarters as a rally in equities helped stoke a revival in appetite of investors, according to a report by Arc Financial Services. The quarter saw 69 deals bringing in USD2.2bn. The key trend on

Citadel Capital, the Cairo based private equity firm, sees immense potential in Saudi Arabia as the world’s largest oil producer builds a broad based economy and continues to liberalise and modernise its business climate. The private equity firm, which controls investments of USD8.3bn in 15 industries spanning 14 countries, is

Qatar-based investment bank QInvest has acquired a 40.8 per cent stake in Intercat Hospitality and Butlers Dry Cleaning and Laundry Services, a UAE outsourced business services company. The group, established in 1992, is comprised of Intercat, Butlers and restaurant concepts Mashawi and Toast. Intercat specialises in the institutional catering market

Salida Capital, a Canadian alternative investment management firm, is launching a private equity fund focused in the natural resources space. The fund’s official marketing period will begin in May and continue for a six to eight month period, or until it has hit its targeted maximum capital commitment. “We’re extremely

Lending Club, a peer lending network, has closed a USD24.5m investment round led by Foundation Capital. Foundation Capital was joined by existing investors including Morgenthaler Ventures, Norwest Venture Partners and Canaan Partners. "Lending Club is ideally positioned to capture a significant share of the US banking and investment market over

Jafco Ventures, a technology venture capital firm, has received an additional USD100m of capital to kick-off its latest fund and has named Paul Sallaberry as its newest venture partner. This addition to the team comes on the heels of Nick Sturiale and Jeb Miller joining Jafco early last year as

Vision Opportunity China Fund, a closed-ended fund traded on AIM that seeks investments in SMEs with operations principally within Greater China, has launched a set of initiatives that are designed to further improve the liquidity in the trading and rating of VOC’s shares and enhance shareholder value. It is introducing

I2BF, the clean technology asset management group, is raising a USD100m global renewable energy and cleantech focused venture capital fund. This comes after the successful raising of its first venture fund, I2BF Holdings One, which currently holds close to USD75m. I2BF’s Venture Fund II will invest in a diversified portfolio