Findings from the Centre of Management Buy-out Research (CMBOR) quantified the slow down in the private equity market, with only 78 exits from private equity investments since January 2001.

The downturn exceeded 40%, since there were 134 exits during the same time period last year. Trade were sales worst affected. Traditionally, private equity business tends to pick up towards the end of the calendar year, but private equity experts, including 3i and Schroder Ventures, do not anticipate the sector to recover before next year.