The value of private equity-backed sales globally has outstripped acquisitions for the first time, as buyout firms continue to struggle to secure debt financing for new investments amid pressure to seal exits ahead of fundraisings.

The total value of exits by buyout firms globally was $182.6bn in the first nine months of the year, according to Dealogic, while the aggregate value of buyouts in the same period stood at $141.7bn. The data provider said it was the first time since its record began in 1995 that the value of sales had exceeded buyouts between January and September.