Private Equity Bros Weekly

📊 Weekly Summary

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

US CPI inflation eased to 2.4% YoY, offering some relief ahead of aggressive tariff policies. However, Fed minutes flagged growing stagflation fears. The impact is rippling across markets: the US corporate bond market is freezing up, and global high-yield bond funds saw a record $25.7B in outflows.

In equities, Pershing Square is down 14% YTD, while Intel's new CEO faces scrutiny over ties to 600 Chinese firms. China logged its second straight month of deflation, and the UK saw its biggest rise in jobseekers since the pandemic. Meanwhile, Norway’s $1.6T wealth fund is staying the course after a $100B hit, and private credit secondary markets are heating up as investors seek liquidity.

Let’s break it down.

📈 Recent Finance News

US CPI inflation slowed to 2.4% YoY to the lowest since 2021: Underscores the economy’s resilience ahead of Trump’s aggressive trade moves (CNBC)

Fed minutes reveal stagflation concerns due to tariffs: Business contacts are already reporting increases in costs, in anticipation of rising tariffs (Fortune)

US corporate bond market dries up on tariff volatility: Signals investors’ loss of confidence in the US as a cornerstone of the global economy (Guardian)

High-yield global bond funds saw record outflows last week: Investors withdrew a net $25.71B the largest amount for a week since April 1, 2020 (RT)

Norway's SWF sticks with long-term strategy despite $100 billion loss: The fund will adhere to broad risk diversification in the face of turbulent markets (YF)

Private credit secondary sales set to rise amid hunt for cash: Secondary market poised for growth as investors seek liquidity amid Trump's trade wars (RT)

China saw deflation for 2nd month as trade gloom worsens: Producer prices fell for the 29th straight month, dropping 2.5% in March from a year earlier (CNBC)

Bill Ackman's Pershing Square is down 14% YTD: Reflects sharp global declines as investors reacted to Trump's plans to impose heavy tariffs (RT)

UK saw sharpest rise in jobseekers since the Covid: The labor market is cooling amid cost pressures for UK firms and a worrying global outlook (BT)

Intel's new CEO is invested in 600 Chinese companies: Several of those investments involve Chinese state-backed institutions (YF)

🔍 Newly Released Reports

• Market Trends in Iberian Private Equity (Cuatrecasas)

• Alternative Investments Meta Outlook 2025 (BAI)

• Global Private Equity Report 2025 (Bain & Co.)

• HealthTech Market Update (Houlihan Lokey)

• Bear Market Anatomy (Goldman Sachs)

• Global Investment Outlook (Fidelity)

• Economic Outlook 2025-26 (Allianz)

• Macro & Credit Brief (Apollo)

🤝 M&A Activity

SC Capital enters talks to acquire UK data center Global Switch (PEW)
Potential Deal Value: $4B–$5B

French IT giant Capgemini in talks to buy India’s WNS Holdings (OA)
Potential Deal Value: $3B

Thyssenkrupp explores exit options for materials trading unit (YF)
Potential Deal Value: $2.2B

KKR and Stonepeak to acquire UK medical REIT Assura (PEW)
Deal Value: $2.06B

Luxury fashion house Prada acquires Versace from Capri Holdings (Prada)
Deal Value: $1.38B

Bain Capital will buy Sizzling Platter from CapitalSpring (PEI)
Deal Value: $1B+

Apollo, RedBird, and Ari Emanuel to acquire Endeavor's tennis assets (SP)
Deal Value: $1B+

Blackstone RE to buy industrial portfolio from Crow Holdings (Blackstone)
Deal Value: $718M

Accounting firms Baker Tilly and Moss Adams near merger (WSJ)
Deal Value: Undisclosed

EQT agrees to sell Karo Healthcare to KKR (KKR)
Deal Value: Undisclosed