In one of the largest series of commitments this year, the $84 billion Washington State Investment Board pledged $750 million to private equity funds and another $500 million to infrastructure funds, one of the fastest-growing asset classes among pension investors…

The mid-market is a pricey place to be with private equity valuations shifting towards the higher end of the spectrum, according to a report by GF Data Resources. US Private equity investors in the mid-market are paying significantly higher multiples to acquire larger firms. Aggregate deal valuations in 2011 were 6.1x, up from an average of 5.9x in 2010, cites the report.

Triton Partners, a Germany-based buyout firm focused on the European middle markets, has closed its third fund with €2.25 billion in capital commitments, according to eFinancialNews. It had been targeting €2 billion.

Triton Partners, a buyout firm based in the UK, has raised $472 million in commitments toward its third fund, according to a regulatory filing. The vehicle, called Triton Fund III LP, has a target of $2.97 billion (converted from Euros as of November 6, 2008, when the fund was created.) The commitments include €150 million [...]