Private equity firm Lone Star is nearing a long-anticipated exit from Novo Banco, its Portuguese banking asset, with French lender BPCE and Spain’s CaixaBank emerging as final bidders, according to a report by Bloomberg citing unnamed sources familiar with the matter.

Hong Kong-based real estate private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners is set to expand its investment footprint in the Middle East, targeting opportunities across real estate and industrial sectors in high-growth markets such as the UAE and Saudi Arabia, according to a report by Reuters.

Founders Fund has led a landmark $2.5bn Series G funding round in US defence tech company Anduril Industries, with the $1bn cornerstone commitment marking the largest single investment in the venture firm’s history, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Stonepeak Partners is in exclusive discussions to support a buyout of Malaysian energy infrastructure firm Yinson Holdings Bhd, in a deal that could value the Kuala Lumpur-listed company at up to MYR9bn ($2.1bn), according to a report by Bloomberg.

Virgin Australia, backed by Bain Capital, is targeting an AUD685m ($443m) initial public offering, in what would be the largest airline listing in Asia in a decade, signalling the private equity firm’s confidence in renewed investor appetite as equity markets rebound from a dealmaking slowdown, according to a report by Bloomberg.

Franklin Resources, a global investment management organisation operating as Franklin Templeton, is to acquire a majority interest in Apera Asset Management, a pan-European private credit firm with over €5bn in assets under management.