Private equity giant Blackstone has submitted a non-binding offer to acquire AkzoNobel India’s paints business for approximately $1.2bn, according to a report by Business Standard citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Los Angeles-based private equity firm Levine Leichtman Capital Partners (LLCP) has sold portfolio company Encore Fire Protection to funds advised by global investment firm Permira.

Middle-market private equity firm Gemspring Capital Management, through an affiliate, has acquired Appriss Retail, a provider of AI-driven analytics and loss prevention software for retailers.

Audax Private Equity and Lovell Minnick Partners have completed a joint investment in Fortis, a payments technology provider for software vendors, ERP customers, and growing businesses. The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.

South Korea is cementing its status as a key destination for global private equity, drawing major firms such as Apollo Global Management and Intermediate Capital Group, with both having recently established offices in Seoul, according to a report by Private Equity Insights.

M&A activity in the US power sector is set for a record-breaking year in 2025, as surging electricity demand – driven by AI and data centres — fuels an unprecedented appetite for assets among energy firms, PE investors, and institutional funds, according to a report by Reuters.