NEW YORK, Nov. 3, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- U.S. private equity firms broke the previous record set in 2000, raising $177.89 billion in private equity funds so far this year, according to Dow Jones Private Equity Analyst, an industry newsletter that has been tracking capital flowing into this asset class since 1991.
With the announcement of additional fund closures over the past week, the tally just passed the $177.75 billion record set in 2000, according to the most recent figures in our database. Private equity includes buyout and corporate finance funds, venture capital, mezzanine funds and funds of funds.
"Private equity fund managers have had an amazing year on the fund-raising trail," said Jennifer Rossa, managing editor of the Private Equity Analyst. "With the present momentum and almost two more months to go, we could see fund-raising reach $225 billion before the year's end."
The total this year already surpassed the $158.92 billion raised in all of 2005 and is now 12% ahead of that sum.
The buyout side of the private equity industry has been the primary focus of the boom, representing $118.05 billion of the total raised so far this year, or about two-thirds of all funds. In 2000, venture capital firms raising substantial sums were a significant driver of that record-breaking year.
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About Private Equity Analyst
Private Equity Analyst (www.privateequity.dowjones.com), published by Dow Jones Financial Information Services group, is the leading provider of data, news and analysis for private equity professionals. Related products include the daily online newsletter LBO Wire and the online database, Private Equity Analyst Plus, a series of senior level executive conferences including the Private Equity Analyst Conferences (NY and London), the Private Equity Analyst Outlook Conference (NY) and The Limited Partners Summit series (NY, SF, Europe); cutting edge research reports on critical private equity topics such as terms and conditions, compensation and liquidity trends; and the most respected and referenced directories for the industry including Galante's Venture Capital & Private Equity Directory and The Directory of Alternative Investment Programs.
About Dow Jones Financial Information Services
Through its Financial Information Services group, Dow Jones produces focused, sector-specific online databases, newsletters and industry events for the private equity, venture capital and diversified markets. Newsletters published include Private Equity Analyst, VentureWire Professional and Daily Bankruptcy Review. In addition, Dow Jones & Company (NYSE:DJ) (www.dowjones.com) publishes the global Wall Street Journal with its international and online editions; Barron's; the Far Eastern Economic Review; Dow Jones Newswires and Indexes; MarketWatch; and Ottaway newspapers. Dow Jones co-owns Factiva with Reuters and SmartMoney with Hearst. Dow Jones also provides news content to CNBC and U.S. radio stations.