Private Equity 3 Hours

Last updated: July 9, 2026, 5:30 AM ET

Private Equity Dealmaking Shows Signs of Life

Private equity firms are seeing a narrowing bid-ask gap for quality assets, which is expected to spur selective deal activity in the second half of the year. James Redmayne of Searchlight noted that B2B events and blue-collar services are considered "high-conviction" areas for the firm, while also observing a clear market bifurcation. Premium assets with strong fundamentals are attracting buyer interest, whereas more cyclical or AI-exposed businesses are struggling. Searchlight's view is that the combination of "offensive AI and structural resilience" presents a compelling investment opportunity Redmayne noted.

In other transactions, Arrow Global has agreed to acquire Fusion Specialty Group, a managing general agent that has written approximately £290 million in gross premiums for about 1,500 policyholders. Separately, PSG Equity has committed to a majority growth investment in Bright Analytics, a Belgian corporate performance management software provider serving over 1,300 customers across Europe.