Private equity fundraising and deal flow still weak

Private equity has enjoyed the most modest of recoveries so far, with data on first-quarter 2010 fundraising and deals from London-based consultancy Preqin showing slight improvements on a terrible 2009. The latest quarter saw 79 final fund closes raise $50.4 billion. Considering the fourth quarter of 2009 saw only $48 billion of funds raised, that seems like progress, but it is in fact less than was raised in all other quarters of 2009 (such as April-June 2009, which saw $88 billion …