ING Barings has shown that it still means business in leveraged finance by underwriting with Bank of Scotland a £557m (€907.5m) debt package for Duke Street's DIY buy-outs.

Duke Street this morning finally secured the £285m buy-out of Great Mills. The acquisition is Duke Street's third in the DIY sector and the private equity firm will now merge Great Mills with its other DIY interests, Wickes and Focus Do It All. The entire debt financing will be on one balance sheet.