Asia Pacific private equity deals soar in 2006

HONG KONG, Dec 11 (Reuters) The value of private equity deals in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, has more than tripled this year, driven by billion-dollar investments in Australia and China, market data firm Dealogic said on Monday.

Buyout firms, also known as financial sponsors, have spent .0 billion on Asia Pacific investments this year, compared with .0 billion in 2005, with Australasia accounting for .7 billion in activity.

North Asia deals totalled .4 billion, led by Goldman Sachs' HONG KONG, Dec 11 (Reuters) The value of private equity deals in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, has more than tripled this year, driven by billion-dollar investments in Australia and China, market data firm Dealogic said on Monday.

Buyout firms, also known as financial sponsors, have spent $26.0 billion on Asia Pacific investments this year, compared with $7.0 billion in 2005, with Australasia accounting for $11.7 billion in activity.

North Asia deals totalled $10.4 billion, led by Goldman Sachs' $2.6 billion investment in Industrial&Commercial Bank of China, this year's biggest regional deal, Dealogic said.

CVC Asia Pacific's $2.0 billion bid for Australian radiology company DCA Group and the $1.5 billion offer for Taiwan's China Network Systems Co. by MBK Partners were the second-and third-largest deals.

Indian sub-continent deals have jumped to $3.1 billion this year from $764 million in 2005, with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts&Co.'s $900 million purchase of Flextronics Software Systems that market's largest deal.

Private equity buyouts have accounted for 7 percent of regional merger and acquisition volume this year, up from 3 percent in 2005 but still below the global figure of 17 percent, Dealogic said.

Investment banks have raked in $304 million in net revenue from financial sponsors thus far in 2006, compared with $239 million last year.

REUTERS KR BD2035 .6 billion investment in Industrial&Commercial Bank of China, this year's biggest regional deal, Dealogic said.

CVC Asia Pacific's HONG KONG, Dec 11 (Reuters) The value of private equity deals in Asia Pacific, excluding Japan, has more than tripled this year, driven by billion-dollar investments in Australia and China, market data firm Dealogic said on Monday.

Buyout firms, also known as financial sponsors, have spent $26.0 billion on Asia Pacific investments this year, compared with $7.0 billion in 2005, with Australasia accounting for $11.7 billion in activity.

North Asia deals totalled $10.4 billion, led by Goldman Sachs' $2.6 billion investment in Industrial&Commercial Bank of China, this year's biggest regional deal, Dealogic said.

CVC Asia Pacific's $2.0 billion bid for Australian radiology company DCA Group and the $1.5 billion offer for Taiwan's China Network Systems Co. by MBK Partners were the second-and third-largest deals.

Indian sub-continent deals have jumped to $3.1 billion this year from $764 million in 2005, with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts&Co.'s $900 million purchase of Flextronics Software Systems that market's largest deal.

Private equity buyouts have accounted for 7 percent of regional merger and acquisition volume this year, up from 3 percent in 2005 but still below the global figure of 17 percent, Dealogic said.

Investment banks have raked in $304 million in net revenue from financial sponsors thus far in 2006, compared with $239 million last year.

REUTERS KR BD2035 .0 billion bid for Australian radiology company DCA Group and the .5 billion offer for Taiwan's China Network Systems Co. by MBK Partners were the second-and third-largest deals.

Indian sub-continent deals have jumped to .1 billion this year from 4 million in 2005, with Kohlberg Kravis Roberts&Co.'s 0 million purchase of Flextronics Software Systems that market's largest deal.

Private equity buyouts have accounted for 7 percent of regional merger and acquisition volume this year, up from 3 percent in 2005 but still below the global figure of 17 percent, Dealogic said.

Investment banks have raked in 4 million in net revenue from financial sponsors thus far in 2006, compared with 9 million last year.

REUTERS KR BD2035