Private equity firms

Mergers & Acquisitions is looking forward to announcing the 2020 Most Influential Women in Mid-Market M&A in mid-December. Here's a look at the timelines of our three annual special reports, including M&A Mid-Market Awards and the 2019 Rising Stars of Private Equity.

Chemicals-focused investment firm SK Capital raises new fund. McDonald's and Nike use IoT to improve customer experiences. Dean Foods, the country's largest milk producer, goes bankrupt. Anheuser-Busch buys remaining stake in craft brewer. Liberty Hall makes add-on for Bromford.

Alibaba, with founder Jack Ma, raises stake in logistics arm. Butterfly and OTTP invest in nutrition products maker. Asian real estate investor Phoenix Property raises new fund.

Buyers have announced almost $149 billion of M&A targeting U.K.-based companies in 2019, according to Bloomberg News.

Carlyle backs the Hilb Group. CD&R buys Anixter. LVMH makes offer for Tiffany & Co.

Banks and other lenders are said to have poured hundreds of billions of dollars into financing private-equity firms and their investment deals in recent years. Defaults have been low, but an economic slowdown could put these relationships to the test.

KKR has raised $2 billion for new technology fund, reports Bloomberg News. David Rubenstein's family office takes minority stake in mid-market real estate lender. More PE news from Apollo, 3i, Granite Creek and Huron.

Carlyle Eupe, Bain Capital Tech and Square Mile are raising capital, according to SEC filings.

Last years' honorees included: Marilyn Adler (Medley Capital), Jennifer Cotton (Madison Capital Funding), Nishita Cummings (Kayne Anderson), Venita Fields (Pelham S2K), Jeri Harman (Avante Mezzanine Partners), Pam Hendrickson (the Riverside Co.), Gretchen Perkins (Huron Capital) and Trisha Renner (Baird).

Dealmaking has been increasing steadily as big-spending buyout firms and U.S. tech companies came to shop in the U.K.