A touch of frost

A chilling frost has gathered around the private equity world for the winter season of 2008, especially in the leveraged buyouts department which has all but ground to a halt with only the EUR300-500m Socotec deal closure to speak of. With only limited optimism for any new notable buyouts being completed before the turn of the New Year, it is time to look ahead to the possibilities in 2009. The general consensus among investors, and indeed the French finance minister, is that although 2009 may start slowly there is expected to be a crescendo of activity during the year