News

29 Aug 2025
two hands each holding a puzzle piece that fit together

Ocean Wilsons: Arnhold “simply wrong” in its “misleading” criticisms of Hansa merger

Ocean Wilsons (OCN) has rejected criticisms of its proposed £900m merger with Hansa Investment Company (HANA) by US fund manager Arnhold as “inaccurate and misleading”. Having met and corresponded with Arnhold over its concerns, Ocean Wilsons said it was “extremely disappointed” to see its claims repeated in an open letter on Monday. Ocean Wilsons said […]

29 Aug 2025
a desk covered with notebooks, a laptop, a calculator, a cup of coffee

Morning briefing: APAX chair expresses “regret” at private equity fund’s stock market exit; plus PIN, PPET, NBPE, ASLI, WHR, CVCG & TFG

Further updates from private equity funds include the last set of half-year results from Apax Global Alpha before its fund manager takes it private plus July valuation reports from Pantheon International, Patria and NB Private Equity. Winding-down Abrdn European Logistics Income prepares to pay out a further £53m to shareholders. Apax Global Alpha (APAX) issues […]

28 Aug 2025

VH Global Energy investors vote for wind-up

Shareholders in VH Global Energy Infrastructure (ENRG) have given their near unanimous support to put the £409m portfolio into a three-year run-off. At an extraordinary general meeting today 94.5% of votes were in favour of changing the investment objective to one of getting the best returns for shareholders through the orderly sale of its assets. […]

28 Aug 2025

Partners Group Private Equity promises action on wide share price discount after weak dollar contributes to 8% asset fall

The dollar’s historically large fall against the euro helped knocked 8.2% off the net asset value of Partners Group Private Equity (PEY) in the first half of the year. Chair Peter McKellar said it was a “disappointing” result after the 11.4% gain the £705m investment company made last year.  The shares were unchanged at €10.20 […]

28 Aug 2025

Morning briefing: Octopus Renewables cuts management fee; CT Private Equity posts first half fall; plus IIG, VEIL, PCA

Octopus Renewables Infrastructure to save shareholders an estimated £700,000 a year after negotiating a change in its quarterly fund management fee; CT Private Equity’s half year results show a 4.5% fall in net asset value; and Intuitive Investments raises more money for China’s lottery operator. CT Private Equity (CTPE), the £340m private equity fund run […]

27 Aug 2025

Ocean Wilsons investor complains £900m merger with Hansa is “deeply flawed and unfair”

Arnhold, a New York-based fund manager, says it will vote against the merger of Ocean Wilsons with Hansa Investment Company, saying a wind-up of the company would be best for its shareholders. Arnhold, a US value investor, has challenged the £900m merger of Hansa Investment Company (HANA) and Ocean Wilsons (OCN), saying it is unfair […]

27 Aug 2025

Morning briefing: Foresight funds sell Scottish battery project: plus RSE, PHP-AGR, BBH, CRS, HLCL, SCF, MRCH

Our morning roundup includes Foresight Solar and Foresight Environmental Infrastructure selling a jointly-owned battery storage construction site in Perthshire in line with the recent valuation; Riverstone Energy releases first half results following shareholders’ vote to place it in a managed wind-down; and Primary Health Properties says its unconditional bid for Assura has received 92% acceptances […]

26 Aug 2025

Highly-geared Fidelity China is top trust, up 65% over one year in big Beijing bounce

Fidelity China Special Situations is the top-performing UK investment trust after a 13% advance last month extended its impressive 12-month gain that has defied concerns over the trade war with the US. Fidelity China Special Situations (FCSS), the most highly-geared of the three London-listed China funds, saw its shares jump 13% in July. With the […]

26 Aug 2025

Trump fires Fed governor Lisa Cook, weakening central bank and dollar but boosting gold

Stock markets fell, the dollar weakened and gold prices rose after US President Trump escalated his attack on the Federal Reserve, firing Lisa Cook from her position as a governor on the central bank’s board. After choppy trading in Asia, European markets opened lower on Tuesday with the EuroStoxx 50 falling 0.9% and the FTSE […]

26 Aug 2025

Morning briefing: Literacy Capital shifts to “maximising value”; Riverstone Energy shareholders back wind-up; plus WHR, BGS, INOV, BSV, BSC, CRWC, AAEV & AATG

Our morning roundup sees UK private equity fund Literacy Capital issue half-year results and Riverstone Energy receive overwhelming shareholder support for a gradual wind-down. Literacy Capital (BOOK), the £233m UK private equity fund trading on a 25% discount, says it is “rebalancing our emphasis from new investments, towards building and maximising value from our current […]