Catherine Badour

Shipping tycoon John Fredriksen has reached an agreement with a majority of creditors over a restructuring plan for oil rig firm Seadrill (SDRL.OL), according to U.S. court documents on Monday.

Private equity firm HGGC LLC has agreed to acquire a controlling stake in HelpSystems, valuing the U.S. information technology management software company at more than $1.2 billion, including debt, Reuters reported.

The board of directors of The Weinstein Company said late Sunday the New York film and TV studio planned to file for bankruptcy after talks to sell it collapsed, several media outlets reported.

Britain’s Metro Bank (MTRO.L) will acquire a 523 million pound ($731 million) mortgage portfolio from two companies controlled by U.S. private equity firm Cerberus, the bank said on Friday.

A sole non-binding expression of interest for Telecom Italia’s (TLIT.MI) majority-owned broadcasting unit Persidera unit came from U.S.-based infrastructure fund I Squared Capital, sources familiar told Reuters.

Arif Naqvi, the founder of Dubai-based emerging markets private equity fund, Abraaj Group, has handed the running of the fund to two co-chief executives and halted investments during a review of the structure of the business, Reuters reported.

Breakneck growth in the US$400bn fund financing market could pose a systemic risk to the banking sector as alternative investors borrow to boost returns, bankers and investors said.

Cheerios cereal maker General Mills Inc (GIS.N) will buy Blue Buffalo Pet Products Inc (BUFF.O) for nearly $8 billion, seeking to tap burgeoning demand for natural pet food and offset falling sales for processed items, Reuters reported.

German utility EWE [LANDWE.UL] will put a $1.9 billion minority stake on the block later this year, a sale that is expected to draw interest from infrastructure investors, pension funds and oil majors, sources told Reuters.

Spain’s Repsol (REP.MC) has agreed to sell its 20 percent stake in Gas Natural to CVC Capital Partners for 3.82 billion euros($4.69 billion), a move that could allow the oil major to restart investment after years of debt reduction, Reuters reported.