Private Equity Bros Weekly

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📊 Weekly Summary

A recap from this week’s highlights in global markets and finance:

Private credit margins continued to tighten, while a UBS survey showed one-third of billionaire clients plan to cut private-equity exposure. Hedge fund performance remained concentrated at the top, with Citadel and AQR leading YTD gains, and PIMCO scored a major win after going contrarian on “Sell America” trades.

AI investment and tech M&A are expected to push corporate bond issuance higher. China is targeting 5% GDP growth to counter deflation risks. Meanwhile, banks underwrote $65B of 2026 LBO debt, and Japan saw a record drop in listed companies as take-privates and carve-outs accelerated.

Let’s dive in.

📈 Recent Finance News

Private credit profits come under threat as loan margins narrow: Competition and inflows are squeezing spreads across private-credit portfolios (AInvest)

One-third of UBS’s billionaire clients plan to cut PE exposure: Ultra-wealthy investors are turning cautious on PE valuations and liquidity (YF)

Citadel and AQR are leading major hedge fund gains YTD: Multi-strategy and quant shops continue to dominate performance rankings (HC)

PIMCO wins big after going contrarian on ‘Sell America’ trades: A bold rates positioning delivered outsized fixed-income gains (YF)

Banks have underwritten $65B of 2026 LBO debt: A sharp revival in global underwritten financing suggests a return of large-scale PE dealmaking (AInvest)

M&A boom fuels record decline in Japan's listed companies: Take-privates and carve-outs accelerate Japan’s shift toward private ownership (BT)

AI investment and M&A expected to drive bond issuance higher: Corporates will tap credit markets to fund capex and dealmaking (RT)

Hedge fund leverage is near record highs: Elevated gross and net exposures raise systemic-risk questions across global prime brokerage channels (Finimize)

China to target 5% GDP growth to defeat deflation: A signal with major implications for commodities, global credit, and multinational earnings (Inv.)

US firms race to secure rare earths Europe needs: Strategic minerals buying reshapes global supply chains and industrial policy (Guardian)

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🔍 Newly Released Reports

• Optimizing Working Capital: A Guide for PE Firms (FIS)

• The Year Ahead: Investment Ideas for 2026 (PIMCO)

• CEO Guide to Growth in the Green Economy (CFA)

• The Road to Liquidity: Registration Rights (D&P)

• 2026 Fixed Income Market Outlook (Virtus)

• Guide to the Markets Q4-25 (J.P. Morgan)

• Global Wealth Investment Playbook (KKR)

• UK Tech M&A: Legal Overview (L500)

• Billion Ambitions Report 2025 (UBS)

• UK Financial Stability Report (BoE)

• Alternative Markets Outlook (UBS)

• Secondary Markets Review (DP)

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🤝 M&A Activity

Netflix wins bidding war for Warner Bros. Discovery (Inv.)
Deal Value: $83B

Saudi PIF to own 93% of Electronic Arts after buyout (MoS)
Deal Value: $55B

Stonepeak in talks to buy BP’s Castrol lubricant business (AJBell)
Potential Deal Value: $8B

India seeks bids for 61% stake in IDBI Bank (ET)
Potential Deal Value: $7B

Lone Star nears exit as ITT advances talks to buy SPX Flow (PEI)
Potential Deal Value: $4.5B

HongShan Capital Group in talks to acquire Golden Goose from Permira (PEI)
Potential Deal Value: $2.9B

CVC to buy Smiths Group’s security scanning unit (CVC)
Deal Value: $2.7B

Marvell Technology in talks to acquire chip startup Celestial AI (TFN)
Potential Deal Value: $2.4B

Vodacom to acquire control of Safaricom in Kenya (RT)
Deal Value: $1.6B

Asurion to acquire UK warranty business Domestic & General (IB)
Deal Value: Undisclosed

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