Desire2Learn Inc said on Tuesday that it secured $80 million in venture funding. Desire2Learn Inc, a Canadian technology company that develops online learning systems, said on Tuesday that it secured $80 million in venture funding to help strengthen its infrastructure and boost its prospects for growth.

European credit manager ECM is seeking to raise up to 500 million euros for a fund to invest in the loans and bonds of highly-leveraged companies.

Private equity fund Mid Europa Partners (MEP) plans to sell healthcare group Lux Med by the end of the year to cash in.

A consortium led by a Morgan Stanley (MS.N) infrastructure fund has made a second $150 million investment in unlisted Chinese hydropower company Zhaoheng Hydropower Holdings Ltd.

Brazilian asset management firm Pátria Investimentos took over three equity funds from a smaller rival on Wednesday.

Spanish telecoms firm Telefonica said it would invest 68 million euros ($86 million) in venture capital funds.

Bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals. The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1000 GMT on Wednesday:** The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc on Tuesday said it would sell its retirement plans business to life insurer MassMutual for $400 million cash, part of The Hartford's plan to shed assets and focus on its property insurance business.

Onex Corp will acquire SGS International Inc for $813 million. Onex Corp will acquire SGS International Inc, which provides packaging graphics services, for $813 million, the private equity firm said on Tuesday.

MegaFon has asked its local regulator for permission to list its shares in London. MegaFon, Russia's second-largest mobile phone operator, has asked its local regulator for permission to list its shares in London for what would be the world's biggest initial public offering since Facebook's (FB.

The Blackstone Group LP has invested 2.43 billion rupees ($43.69 million) to buy a significant minority stake in unlisted Indian fragrance maker SH Kelkar & Company.