This morning First Read brings you the latest on Thomson Reuters’ investable venture capital index; where buyout firms are seeking more dividend loans and finds out what states are laden with the most student debt and therefore hungry to earn back the cash.

Click through for this morning’s First Read to find out about what’s happening in Lat AM, how to set the right goals for your future and Facebook’s secret strength.

Well, if there’s anyone that could successfully extract value from used-up old handset makers, it would be private equity…

EQT VI is to acquire Vertu Corporation, a luxury mobile phone business, from Nokia. UK-based Vertu was founded by Nokia in 1998. Terms of the transaction were undisclosed. PRESS RELEASE EQT VI has agreed to acquire Vertu Corporation (“Vertu” or the “Company”), the global leader in luxury mobile phones, from Nokia. Founded by Nokia in [...]

As you sit down with your coffee this morning click on First Read to find out about EQT’s Vertu deal, Esprit’s takeover talks, Nokia’s firing spree and why traditional media should be afraid of Twitter.

Today’s slideshow takes a look at the rising Finnish tech stars who have secured venture funding over the last year.

The big surprise of yesterday’s poll was how predictable it turned out.

On Thursday, we asked you which smartphone maker would likely be bought next. The choices were RIM, HTC and Nokia. There’s been lots of speculation that RIM’s problems–poor earnings, layoffs and its inability to make the Blackberry Playbook a healthy competitor to Apple’s iPad–make it a likely takeover target. Apparently, many of our readers agree. Nearly 56% said they expect RIM to be the next smartphone maker to get sold.

HTC, in another surprise, came in second with 22.6% (this surprises me because HTC seems more like a buyer than a seller but I could very easily be wrong). And Nokia wound up third with 21%.

We also asked for some write-in candidates. There were mentions of Samsung as well as Nortel Networks (one jokester even suggested the iPhone would go up for sale. I doubt this but maybe this person knows something we don’t).

Till next week.

Google’s $12.5 billion deal to buy Motorola Mobile Holdings is being touted as a game-changer for the wireless industry.

The deal has also started talk about which smartphone maker will be bought next. The most likely candidate? Research In Motion. The once high-flying RIM has been beset by troubles lately, including poor earnings, layoffs and its inability to make the Blackberry Playbook a healthy competitor to Apple’s iPad. And this was before Google agreed to buy Motorola Mobile.

(Reuters) – Apple Inc, Nokia and Qualcomm Inc are among several technology companies pondering bids for InterDigital Inc, sources familiar with the situation said. The auction of the wireless telecommunications specialist — expected to be heavily contested as giant tech companies fight to shore up patent portfolios — will be postponed from next week until [...]

After roughly a year of talks with various private equity firms, Nokia and Siemens have ditched plans to sell a stake in their joint venture Nokia Siemens Networks, Reuters reported. The companies had been in talks with private equity groups including Gores Group, Reuters said.