Private Equity Bros Weekly

📊 Weekly Summary

Here’s a recap of this week’s top news in finance and economics:

The US imposed sweeping tariffs and country-specific reciprocal rates, marking what JPMorgan warns could be the biggest US tax hike since 1968. Markets reacted sharply — hedge funds including Citadel and Millennium turned negative YTD, while long/short funds erased all gains in a single day. Asia saw its largest stock outflows in 15 years, while billionaires lost $208 billion in one day.

Meanwhile, private credit continues to expand — PIMCO ramped up EM lending, and firms are targeting the $50T mortgage market. Despite the turmoil, Canadian ETFs attracted record inflows in March.

Let’s break it down.

📈 Recent Finance News

US imposed broad 10% tariffs plus targeted reciprocal tariffs: US officials released a list of tariff rates that 180+ countries and territories will face (CNBC)

Tariffs may be largest US tax hike since 1968: JPM warns that economic strain from higher costs could push the US closer to a recession (BI)

Major hedge funds including Millennium, Citadel and Pershing Square are negative YTD: HFs lost money in Q1 amid the trade war uncertainty (YF)

Asia stocks saw the biggest outflows in 15 years in Q1: The region could see more selling as investors head for safe-haven assets (RT)

Canada ETFs saw record inflows in March amid volatility: Investors view ETFs as fast and efficient vehicles to make trades and reallocate risks (BNN)

L/S hedge funds erased all YTD gains in one day: Resulted from a plunge in stocks after the Trump administration announced sweeping tariffs (RT)

Private credit firms are eyeing the $50T mortgage market: Firms are offering non-traditional loans to home buyers amid high interest rates (BBG)

Billionaires lost a combined $208B in one day: It is the 4th largest one-day decline in the Bloomberg Billionaires Index’s 13-year history (YF)

Global governments respond to US tariffs: New tariffs are forecasted to raise prices and weigh on growth in the US and abroad (BBC)

PIMCO steps up private credit for EM governments: The bond giant has privately lent nearly $6B to emerging market borrowers this year alone (GB)

🔍 Newly Released Reports

• State of Robotics: Investment Trends 2020-24 (F-Prime)

• Buy-and-build Strategies in the DACH region (PwC)

• Restructuring: From Reaction to Readiness (KPMG)

• UK Public and Private Capital Markets (UKF | EY)

• Market Outlook: Tariff Turbulence Q2-25 (BNY)

• Incentivizing Long-term Value Creation (KPMG)

• The Democratization of Investing (Blackrock)

• Capital Market Outlook (Bank of America)

• Top Geopolitical Risks in 2025 (KPMG)

• Nordic Deal Trend Report (KPMG)

🤝 M&A Activity

Brookfield announces the acquisition of Colonial Pipeline (FP)
Deal Value: $9B

Siemens acquires Dotmatics to extend AI-powered software portfolio (Siemens)
Deal Value: $5.1B

I Squared explores sale of European trailer-leasing firm TIP Group (Investing)
Potential Deal Value: $3.2B

Blackstone weighs sale of AirTrunk data centers in Australia (BI)
Potential Deal Value: $2.6B

DAZN buys Foxtel from Rupert Murdoch (Variety)
Deal Value: $2.2B

Primary Health Properties bids for UK healthcare REIT Assura (RT)
Potential Deal Value: $2B

UK food group Greencore to acquire rival Bakkavor (Guardian)
Potential Deal Value: $1.6B

Castillo Hermanos to buy SunnyD-maker Harvest Hill (PEI)
Deal Value: $1.5B

Brookfield & CDPQ near Antylia Scientific acquisition (PEW)
Potential Deal Value: $1.4B

Carrefour raises offer to take Brazilian unit Atacadao private (RT)
Deal Value: Undisclosed