Regional PE Fundraising Up, Investment Down

LatAm and the Caribbean private equity fundraising reached $8.4bn in 2011, increasing from $5.6bn in 2010, according to the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA). This is out of a $38.5bn EM total for the year. LatAm appears to be loading up for a new round of PE buying, after a more challenging environment at the end of last year. However, the region’s private equity investment for 2011 was $3.2bn, down from $6.6bn in 2010. Most of the investment continues to go to Brazil, with the country’s private equity investment for 2011 at $2.5bn versus $4.6bn in 2010. It’s totals are less than China ($10.5bn) and India ($6.2bn).