Canadian private equity report shows increase in activity

Date: Friday, May 30, 2008
Author: Advisor.ca

McKinsey & Company released its sixth annual report on private equity that reviews the year's early record-breaking activity in fundraising and investments, the dramatic collapse in debt markets in the second half of the year, and the growing importance of sovereign wealth funds.

The capital managed by Canadian private equity funds in 2007 was $76 billion, up 16% from 2006. Most of the growth was captured in the buyout segment, which managed $47.5 billion.

The total merger and acquisition activity reached $370 billion, a 44% increase.

Canada's private equity market has consistently outperformed the U.S. over the past five years.

Senior Canadian private equity managers interviewed believe the pace of deal activity will be slower in 2008, reviving only when fundamental issues in global debt and public equity markets are resolved.