Preqin's Global Reports 2026 forecasts private markets entering the new year with cautious optimism and resilient long-term growth prospects across all major asset classes. The research firm projects private equity AUM approaching $12 trillion and private credit reaching $4.5 trillion by 2030, while infrastructure is set to nearly triple toward $3 trillion—with Europe leading that growth trajectory despite near-term deployment challenges and elevated interest rates constraini

Private markets found their liquidity release valve in 2025. With distributions frozen at post-crisis lows and $2.9 trillion in unsold assets choking the system, the secondary market exploded to over $200 billion in annual volume—transforming from a niche corner of private equity into essential infrastructure for the entire industry.

Federated Hermes' Private Markets 2026 Outlook reveals that deal activity is gaining positive momentum following interest rate normalization in H2 2025, positioning private asset classes to deliver greater capital distributions from older vintages—which should fuel new allocations toward specialist strategies rather than generalist, diversified approaches.

Goldman Sachs Asset Management's Investment Outlook 2026 reveals that private market valuations have reached record highs across buyout holdings and exits, yet the data masks significant underlying dispersion. While median multiples suggest elevated pricing, recent transaction activity has been skewed toward higher-quality companies commanding premiums.

Apollo's Kleinman warns PE exits face years of headwinds while AI valuations show dangerous froth despite transformative potential.

Alternative asset managers are experiencing their highest levels of optimism about exit activity and IPO markets since before the 2022 rate hikes, with several industry leaders signaling that the pause in activity is behind them. Glenn Schorr, senior managing director and senior research analyst at Evercore ISI who has covered alternative asset managers since the first firms went public.

Private equity firms are leaning heavily on continuation vehicles (CVs) in 2025 to hold onto high-quality assets longer, according to KPMG’s Pulse of Private Equity Q2’25. With exit markets weak — particularly for IPOs and secondary buyouts — GPs are opting to roll prized portfolio companies into new funds rather than sell at a discount. LPs, however, are pushing back over valuation transparency and the risk of “stranded” assets.

Global private equity dealmaking plunged in Q2 2025, with total announced investment dropping to $363.7B across 3,769 deals, the lowest volume since Q3 2020, according to KPMG’s Pulse of Private Equity Q2’25. The slowdown was most pronounced in Asia and the Americas, as investors delayed deals pending clarity on U.S. tariff policies — despite blockbuster U.S. transactions like Blackstone’s $11.5B TXNM Energy buyout.

Private equity firms are abandoning traditional value creation playbooks in favor of organic growth strategies as prolonged high interest rates and extended exit timelines force a fundamental industry transformation. According to Alvarez & Marsal's inaugural North American survey of 50 PE investors and portfolio executives, firms are implementing comprehensive operational improvements and AI-powered initiatives across portfolio companies rather than relying on multiple expans

The private equity and venture capital industry faces a fundamental reckoning as the strategies that generated extraordinary returns over the past four decades become increasingly difficult to replicate, according to Tim Sullivan, who recently retired after overseeing Yale University's private market portfolios for 39 years. Sullivan warns that institutions must dramatically lower their return expectations as the industry has become overcrowded, overfunded, and efficiently pr

Verny Capital Group to sell gold mining company RG Gold to Zijin Gold International after successful development since 2014.

Swedish luxury menswear brand Eton transitions to new ownership as EQT exits, marking a successful transformation period.

B. Riley Financial divests GlassRatner to TorQuest Partners for $117.8M, expecting to record a $66M gain in Q2 financial results.

EQT to sell Japanese automotive tech leader Pioneer to CarUX for $1.1B, marking successful transformation and value creation.

Envestnet announces sale of Yodlee to private equity firm STG, focusing on core wealth management platform and solutions.

Brown Gibbons Lang & Company advises on the sale of Specialty Bakers, a leader in niche baked goods, to HC Private Investments.

EQT sells Recover, a Nordic property remediation company, to Pangea AS after transforming its digital capabilities and focus.

EQT's portfolio company Enity, a Nordic specialist mortgage provider, begins trading on Nasdaq Stockholm with strong investor interest.

EQT sells shares in Galderma Group AG for CHF 1.86 billion, receiving CHF 494 million in gross proceeds from the transaction.

EQT's affiliate completes public offering of Waystar Holding Corp. shares, raising $557 million with EQT receiving $239.6 million.