As I was wading through the waters of all our predictions, readers painted a picture of possibilities and pressure in the private markets.AI, on one hand, is a force multiplier—on the other, it will be unevenly impactful and the losses as the industry consolidates will be staggering. Liquidity, meanwhile, is making a comeback, albeit with a new normal. Velocity is increasing, but so is fragility. There was also an echo of “bigger, fewer, and with more power,” that the wave of capital concentrating at the la ...

Global investment firm KKR has agreed to acquire Arctos Partners in a deal that values the sports-focused private equity firm at about $1 billion, Bloomberg News reported on Tuesday. ...

Group 1 - Private-equity firms KKR and Warburg Pincus are among the bidders for TPG's Southeast Asia school business [1] - The potential valuation of the school business could reach up to $2 billion [1]

Group 1 - The core viewpoint of the article highlights that Huaye Tiancheng has successfully completed its fifth fund with a total scale of 1.76 billion RMB, achieving an oversubscription with 80% of the limited partners being market-oriented [3] - Huaye Tiancheng was founded in 2015 by former technology executives and focuses on investments in smart technology and industry transformation, aiming to empower leading companies in the tech sector through value investment [3] - The firm manages both RMB and USD dual-currency funds, with total assets under management exceeding 8 billion RMB, sourced from various well-known national and local guiding funds, market-oriented mother funds, financial institutions, and industry capital [3] Group 2 - Huaye Tiancheng is particularly focused on investment opportunities in sectors such as semiconductors, AI infrastructure, industrial intelligence, and smart terminals, having already invested in several leading companies in these niche areas [3] - The portfolio includes notable companies like InnoTek, Voda Semiconductor, and others, indicating a strong presence in the semiconductor and smart technology sectors [3]

Core Viewpoint - MicroStrategy is redefining private equity and capital markets by leveraging Bitcoin, achieving what traditional funds have struggled to do for over a decade [1][2] Group 1: Capital Raising and Funding Structures - MicroStrategy has successfully raised capital directly from retail investors and established permanent funding structures [2][3] - The company has created a funding model that does not rely on cyclical capital raises by utilizing publicly listed securities on Nasdaq instead of closed-end private equity structures [3] Group 2: Digital Equity and Digital Credit - Central to MicroStrategy's approach are "Digital Equity" and "Digital Credit," both backed by Bitcoin, which positions Bitcoin as institutional-grade collateral [4] - Digital Equity allows investors to gain leveraged exposure to Bitcoin through MicroStrategy's capital structure, while Digital Credit provides BTC-backed credit facilities [4] Group 3: Future Outlook - MicroStrategy has converted its Bitcoin reserves into a perpetual capital engine, functioning similarly to a public-equity version of a private equity continuation fund [5] - The year 2025 is described as "Year 0" for Digital Credit, focusing on building and scaling BTC-backed credit products during a subdued Bitcoin market [5] - In 2025, MicroStrategy raised approximately $21 billion through various financial instruments, including a notable $2.5 billion perpetual preferred stock issuance, marking the largest US IPO by gross proceeds that year [6]

Market Overview - Stock index futures are higher on the first trading day of 2026, with Nasdaq futures rising by 1.1%, S&P 500 futures up by 0.75%, and Dow futures advancing by 0.5% [3] - Top gainers in premarket trading include TKO (+2.25%), Hershey (+1.87%), and Exelon (+1.68%), while decliners include Equity Residential (-1.82%), Entergy (-1.55%), and Xcel Energy (-0.96%) [3] Tariff Updates - President Trump has delayed tariff hikes on upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities for an additional year, which were previously set to take effect on January 1, 2026 [5][6] - The existing 25% tariff on certain upholstered furniture, kitchen cabinets, and vanities, imposed last September, will remain in effect [7] - The White House indicated that the delay is to allow for further negotiations regarding imports of wood products [8] Company News - Warren Buffett's tenure as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway has ended, with the stock closing slightly lower on his final day. Class B shares ended at $502.65, down 0.21%, and Class A shares closed at $754,800, down 0.10% [8] - Greg Abel has assumed the CEO role as of January 1, 2026, succeeding Buffett, who remains as chairman [10]

Core Viewpoint - Blackstone has evolved from a traditional private equity firm into a global capital engine, which supports a buy rating for the company [1] Group 1: Company Overview - Blackstone is recognized for its significant growth and transformation beyond its original business model [1] Group 2: Analyst Background - The analyst has over a decade of experience in the stock market and a strong background in political economics, providing insights into macroeconomic impacts on assets [1]

Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) is one of the High Growth Large Cap Stocks to Buy Right Now. On December 16, Bloomberg reported that Apollo Global Management, Inc. (NYSE:APO) has been exploring a potential sale of its aviation company, Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings Inc. The investment firm happens to be in early stages of considering a potential divestment, and they are seeking to value the business at over $12 billion, including debt. Apollo Global Management (APO) Explores Potential Sale of Avi ...

KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) is one of the High Growth Large Cap Stocks to Buy Right Now. On December 19, KKR & Co. Inc. (NYSE:KKR) announced income from monetization activity in excess of $525 million over the period from October 1, 2025 through December 19, 2025. The company highlighted that quarter-to-date monetization activity comprises ~95% of realized performance income and ~5% of realized investment income. Furthermore, ~45% of realized performance income was due to the revenues from the company’s stra ...

Core Insights - Private equity firms are expected to resume their on-cycle recruiting practices soon, following a temporary halt due to Jamie Dimon's warnings to junior bankers [2][8] - The on-cycle recruiting process, which typically involves rapid interviews for positions starting two years later, has been delayed but is anticipated to kick off early in 2026 [3][4] - The shift in recruiting timelines has been influenced by the pandemic, with firms previously starting the process in January, now looking to resume earlier practices [7][8] Group 1: On-Cycle Recruiting Dynamics - Jamie Dimon, CEO of JPMorgan Chase, initiated a moratorium on on-cycle recruiting for the 2027 class, leading many top private equity firms to pause their hiring efforts [2][4] - Firms like Apollo, General Atlantic, and TPG have committed to not recruiting for the 2027 class until at least 2026, with some banks threatening to fire employees who accept future-dated offers [2][4] - As the new year approaches, there are indications that the on-cycle recruiting process will begin shortly after January 1, 2026, as firms prepare to engage with a new class of investment banking analysts [3][4][8] Group 2: Industry Perspectives - Recruiters and industry experts express optimism about the upcoming recruiting cycle, noting that many investment funds are eager to interview analysts with relevant training and deal experience [4][5] - The competitive nature of becoming a private equity analyst typically starts with a demanding investment banking career, where on-cycle recruiting requires immediate availability for interviews [6] - Historical data indicates that the recruiting timeline has shifted earlier since the pandemic, with firms now looking to resume practices that were common nearly a decade ago [7]