Catherine Badour

Pacific Equity Partners (PEP), one of Australia’s largest buyout firms, is close to raising A$2.5 billion ($1.7 billion) in its new fund, The Australian Financial Review reported on Thursday.

Private equity firms KKR, Bain Capital and MBK Partners, as well as South Korea’s Netmarble Corp and Kakao Corp submitted binding bids for the parent of South Korean gaming company Nexon Co on Friday, Korea Economic Daily said, citing investment banking sources.

Thomas Cook has received a takeover approach for its Nordic operations from private equity group Triton, Sky News reported on Thursday.

Japan’s Toshiba, Siemens unit Gamesa and buyout groups such as Blackstone are interested in buying insolvent German wind turbine maker Senvion, German Manager Magazine said on Tuesday, citing sources close to talks.

Qatari energy investment company Nebras Power is considering selling its stake in PT Paiton Energy, one of Indonesia’s largest independent power producers, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, citing sources.

Private equity firms Bain Capital and Carlyle Group are weighing a joint bid for Germany’s Osram Licht, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday.

Canadian private equity firm Brookfield Asset Management is in preliminary talks with India’s Reliance Industries to buy a stake in its optical fibre and telecom tower assets, The Times of India newspaper reported on Friday.

U.S.-based private equity firm Carlyle Group (CG.O) and Japan’s biggest investment bank Nomura Holdings Inc (8604.T) are planning a joint takeover bid for beer maker Orion Breweries, the Nikkei reported on Friday.

Private equity firm CVC Capital Partners is in exclusive talks with French peer Evolem to buy its majority stake in insurer APRIL, Reuters reported.

Sears Holdings Corp Chairman Eddie Lampert submitted a $4.4 billion takeover bid for the bankrupt U.S. retailer, representing its only chance of escaping liquidation and laying off tens of thousands of workers, a spokesman for the billionaire’s hedge fund told Reuters Friday.