Brad Meikle

Encouraged by years of central bank easing, investors are ploughing too much cash into unproductive and increasingly speculative investments while shunning businesses building economic growth, the OECD warned on Wednesday, Reuters reported.

Private equity-backed Planet Fitness wants to put on some muscle as a public company.

FullBeauty Brands Inc is exploring a sale or an initial public offering that could value the privately held plus-sized women’s and men’s fashion retailer at more than $1.5 billion, including debt, according to people familiar with the matter, Reuters reported exclusively.

British banking group Barclays is in talks to sell its natural resources-focused private equity business to the unit’s management, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

Hamilton Lane hit its hard cap of $1.5 billion for its oversubscribed third co-investment fund, as limited partners’ appetite for co-investing remains strong.

A looming payment on Edcon’s holding company bonds is pushing owner Bain Capital to cut a deal with its creditors sooner rather than later, although the private equity firm is said to be reluctant to put more cash into the South African retailer, Reuters reported.

Advent International, Bain Capital and Clessidra have agreed to buy Italian banking services provider ICBPI for 2.15 billion euros ($2.4 billion), to get more exposure to the growing electronic payment market, Reuters reported.

Private equity firm Wind Point Partners is exploring a sale of Novolex, in a deal that could value the U.S. manufacturer of paper and plastic packaging products at around $1.75 billion, including debt, three people familiar with the matter told Reuters.

TPG will invest up to $1 billion in African companies under a tie-up with Sudanese billionaire Mo Ibrahim’s Satya Capital, the companies said on Thursday, Reuters reported.

Vista Equity Partners has agreed to buy PowerSchool, a K-12 student information systems (SIS) provider, from Pearson for $350 million in cash.