VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Lloyds Banking Group asked for a two year extension from the European Commission for the sale of its 631 branches.

Lloyds Banking Group must plug a capital shortfall of GBP8.6 billion after Britain's banking regulator announced new rulings on Thursday.

Britain's Co-operative Group agreed on a plan to plug US$2.4 billion capital hole to avoid a repeat of the taxpayer funded bailouts at the time of the financial crisis.

British finance minister George Osborne announces an early public sale of their shares in Lloyds Banking Group.

Oaktre pays GBP165 million for Countryside.

Bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals involving European, U.S. and Asian companies.

Private equity property funds run by Blackstone and Morgan Stanley have agreed to pay A$640 million ($621 million) to acquire a A$1.9 billion portfolio of distressed property loans in Australia.

Bailed-out Lloyds Banking Group is preparing to sell a second and smaller portfolio of loans backed by UK commercial property.

Private equity firm Apax is preparing a possible sale of its troubled British medical courier Marken.