Fundraising

Oversubscribed by $600m, the fund will be investing in North American and European real estate.

The Dubai-based Rasmala Buyout Fund is acquiring Aramex International, a courier business servicing the Middle East and India, in a $61m deal.

Fundraising in 2001 proved difficult for Wilton Asset Management, whose private equity fund fell $60m short of its original target.

The firm’s third fund, $30m short of its target, will invest in Israeli companies operating in the communications and IT sectors, in particular enterprise software.

The German venture capitalist is looking to close its second fund by the end of the first quarter in 2002.

The £84m deal makes it 47 realisations in 18 months for the firm, and over $1bn returned to investors.

Axa Private Equity's new secondaries fund is $130m oversubscribed, as investor demand for the product remains strong.

The firm has taken a £5m investment from the Scottish Widows Investment Partnership.

The Nordic IT VC fund has received a DKr100m investment from the European Investment Fund as well as DKr25m from US life insurer Phoenix.

The UK mid-market private equity firm is said to have had a first round close at £60m.