European equities

The growth in funds available to private equity houses in Europe has increased dramatically over the last ten years - especially in the last two or three years. Despite this, Europe still lags markedly behind the USA and it is a notable feature that US-based organisations are now significant investors in UK and European funds. In 1996 there were very few houses with funds of more than £1bn but such funds are now much more common: the £5bn funds barrier is likely to be broken soon. The reason for these increases can be put down partly to changes in macroeconomics, but it is the success of t...