Jennifer Harris

San Francisco-based Genstar Capital will acquire clinical research organization PRA International in $790 million deal – the largest the firm has announced to date.

Tom Gores’ Platinum Equity plans to buy Ryerson, a distributor and processor of metals.

Alternative assets returned 27.6 percent to CalSTRS last fiscal year. Though less than last year’s 32 percent return, CalSTRS’ alternative assets outperformed the portfolio as a whole by around 7 percentage points.

Carlyle Capital Corporation announced a reduction in the scope of its planned Euronext IPO in reaction to volatility in the subprime loan market.

The Africa-focused firm earned a 3.4x return on its investment in rubber company Societe Internationale de Plantations d’Heveas – the latest in a series of successful exits on the continent.

Battery Ventures has completed a$137 million take-private of Quovadx, a software and software services firm formerly listed on NASDAQ, for $136.7 million.

3i’s US arm has bought a stake in a Bermuda-based hedge fund administrator, in the latest move in an active year for the firm.

HM Capital became the latest in a slew of private equity firms to invest in distributors of yellow pages directories, when it announced an agreement to acquire Phone Directories Company. The investment is the first from HM’s new Sector Performance Fund.

Rye, New York-based Greenbriar Equity Group’s second fund, which will target the transportation industry, has closed on $1 billion.

The Boston, Massachusetts-based venture firm has closed its second fund on $360 million.