VENTURE CAPITAL POST

2013 Nobel Prize winner and University of Chicago Professor Eugene Fama told Reuters that the world's economy is in danger of a potential global recession next year due to the high debts incurred by governments in the US and Europe.

According to the UK-based "Global State of Enterprise Mobility for the Past, Present and Future" report, mobile apps could be the most invested-in startups in 2014.

UK asset manager Threadneedle Investments has increased its stake in AZ Electronic Materials to above 11% in a move that could block the GBP1.56 billion takeover bid from German drugmaker Merck.

European private equity company Bridgepoint has agreed to acquire pre-university training firm Cambridge Education Group (CEG) from London-based investor Palamon Capital Partners for GBP185 million.

Venture capital trust Time:Reboot VCT plans to raise around GBP20 million by the end of April 2014 to invest exclusively in firms run by UK military veterans.

Denmark-based pension fund PensionDanmark is set to invest GBP153 million in six onshore wind farms of Falck Renewables, in a deal that will give the Danish firm a 49% stake in the energy sites in Wales and Scotland.

A new GBP10 billion privatization program will see Britain's 40% stake in cross-channel rail operator Eurostar sold off to help pay down UK's debts.

A Bloomberg report said the largest insurance firms in the UK will be pouring about GBP 25 billion or USD 41 billion in the country's infrastructure in the next five years.

Software solutions maker Datel, the leading Sage Business Partner in the UK, announced its acquisition of the Sage 200 customer base from Pythagoras Communications Ltd.

Australia-based IDP Education, the world's largest provider of international student placement, is considering the sale of its shares through an initial public offering (IPO) in 2014.

Cryptolocker thieves are taking advantage of the $1,000 surge of the Bitcoin value by spreading malware that threatens to encrypt computer data and collecting anonymous Bitcoin ransom from unwitting victims.

The Malaysian consortium made up of Sime Darby Property, SP Setia Bhd and the Employees Provident Fund, have secured GBP790 million in syndicated funding to acquire the Battersea Power Station in the United Kingdom.

UK equity-based crowdfunding platform Seedrs announced that it is crowd-raising GBP500,000 using its own site to reach out to European investors and startups outside of the UK.

London-based pharmaceutical giant Glaxo SmithKline (GSK) completed the sale of its 28.2 million shares in Aspen Pharmacare at ZAR250 per share, raising a total of USD694 million in proceeds.

Britain-based advertising group WPP denied a report from The Daily Mail's that the company is planning a takeover bid for US-based marketing group Interpublic (IPG).