Toby Lewis

The sale of a credit collection business is likely to attract interested bidders looking to consolidate the sector, which will see increased activity as defaults rise.

The Asia push comes as the firm is looking to buy a 25 percent stake in UK insurance company Towergate.

The credit crunch is causing firms to work in partnerships with other bidders even in the lower mid-market.

Barclays Private Equity’s sale of women’s shoe company Kurt Geiger to Graphite Capital comes despite the worrying storm clouds gathering around the UK retail sector.

The cut-price sale may provide the first signs of changed vendor expectations since credit market problems began in August.

Figures confirm there is more to Europe’s mid-market than asset stripping and leverage, although credit market problems suggest there will be fewer bolt-on acquisitions in 2008.

As hedge fund Focus Capital unravelled its position in Swiss baker Hiestand, Lion Capital took a 32 percent stake.

The UK mid-market firm is looking to repeat its previous successes in the recruitment sector.

The UK mid-market firm has sold event company Clarion Events having made eight bolt-on acquisitions for the company in pursuit of international expansion.

The US Committee on Foreign Investment has indicated it will block the acquisition of IT networking company 3Com because of Bain’s minority Chinese trade partner Huawei.