OpenAI's massive $40 billion financing helped push Q1 2025 venture capital investment to $91.5 billion across an estimated 3,990 deals, according to PitchBook-NVCA's Venture Monitor Q1 2025 report. This represents an 18.5% quarterly increase in deal value, reaching the highest level since Q1 2022, despite ongoing market uncertainty.

PitchBook's Q1 2025 US PE Breakdown reveals robust dealmaking despite growing economic concerns, with Q1 deal value reaching $259.7 billion, up 24.6% QoQ and 36.1% YoY. Deal count remained steady at 2,263, though exits are struggling to keep pace with the massive backlog of 3,800 PE-backed companies awaiting liquidity.

Private Equity Firms Shift to Survival Mode as Exits Stall

According to the Financial Conduct Authority's recent multi-firm review of private market valuation practices, while many firms demonstrate good practices, significant gaps remain in conflict management, independence, and handling of ad hoc valuations during market disruptions.

Joel Holsinger, Partner and Portfolio Manager at Ares Management where he co-heads the $40+ billion alternative credit division, shared insights on the S&P Global podcast about the rapidly evolving alternative credit landscape.

Todd Owens, co-founder of Cantilever Group and 30-year finance veteran, discusses the evolution of GP Stakes investing in alternative asset management during a live podcast with Alt Goes Mainstream host Michael Sidgmore. His firm focuses on middle-market asset managers ($50-500M enterprise value), where he sees significant growth opportunities despite industry consolidation. Owens explains how the GP Stakes market has transformed from nonexistent 20 years ago to a legitimate

S&P Global Market Intelligence's 2025 Private Markets Playbook reveals private equity and venture capital partners expect improved deal activity and fundraising this year, with megadeals reaching a three-year high in 2024 and AI investments surging 70% year-over-year to $83 billion. Lower interest rates are expected to unlock further deal activity as the valuation gap narrows between buyers and sellers. Venture capitalists have tripled their investments in late-stage AI compa

EQT AB, the global private markets firm, reported a robust Q1 2025 with fee-generating AUM growing to €142 billion (up 7.6% YoY), driven by successful fundraising with Infrastructure VI hitting its €21.5 billion hard cap and BPEA IX securing over $10 billion in commitments. Despite executing €4 billion in both investments and exits during the quarter, management cautioned that market volatility and 90-day tariff negotiations will likely depress exit activity for the remainder

Private equity firm EQT released its Q1 2025 earnings, reporting solid fundraising momentum and investment activity despite increasing global economic uncertainty and concerns about potential impacts from US tariff negotiations.

Despite a slowdown in private markets over the past three years, Schroders Capital's Q2 2025 outlook suggests valuations and yields are now attractive, though significant risks remain from US policy changes affecting trade, immigration, and ESG priorities.

"It is the challenging environments that best showcase the strength and stability of our firm. We built our business to navigate periods of uncertainty and dislocation," said Stephen Schwartzman.

What's happening:   Blackstone, the world's largest alternative asset manager, released its first quarter 2025 results showing continued...

Private debt offers mathematical resilience to recession through high interest income offsetting temporary markdowns, but leverage amplifies initial pain. RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

What's New McKinsey's recent report reveals that as global demand for military and commercial vessels surges past available supply,...

Private equity historically outperforms during volatility. KKR data shows top managers create value through experience, steady deployment, and operational expertise, rather than market timing. PE expected to lead returns next 5 years.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

AlixPartners' PE Leadership Survey reveals critical misalignment between PE firms and portfolio companies, with 41% of PE executives concerned about leadership quality versus just 13% of portfolio leaders.

VC secondaries market reaches $60B but remains small slice of venture ecosystem despite liquidity drought.

Trump's tariff bombshell threatens economic growth but creates opportunity for disciplined credit investors amid the volatility.

Credit investors face a new landscape where trade policy tweets can move markets 1,100 points in a day, forcing a fundamental rethinking of sector and geographic exposure.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.

Trump's "Liberation Day" tariffs confirm KKR's view that globalization is giving way to regional economic competition.RetryClaude can make mistakes. Please double-check responses.