PE firms have refinanced portfolio companies at a crucial juncture using a combination of large banks and junk bonds. Mone poured into junk bond funds at a record pace in 2009, from general bond funds, pension funds and others.

Derivatives exchange behemoth CME Group Inc. could face a federal antitrust probe if it does not accept trades from startup futures exchange ELX Futures LP, an analyst with Sanford C. Bernstein & Co., said Thursday.

Present-day and next-generation investment industry leaders debated future of funds at the Kellogg School of Management’s private equity and venture capital conference in Chicago, with the conversation returning to value creation.

The high unemployment rate has actually benefited one industry– private-sector education. For-profit education has seen an increase in enrollments across the board and Chicago-based DeVry Inc. is no exception. It has seen a boost in enrollment numbers that has generated extra cash to continue to invest in the company, making it appealing to investors.

BY MICHAEL BELLER – MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

The Olympic torch arrives in Vancouver Friday, where thousands of athletes from around the world want to strike gold.  Companies looking to do the same should be right there alongside the athletes, as a new study found the Olympics could be the perfect venue to spend advertising [...]

Andrew Ross Sorkin speaks to Chicago audience Feb. 9. Photo by Chris Guillen

It was Tuesday evening in Chicago, and though you may have watched him co-host CNBC’s Squawk Box from New York that same morning, there was Andrew Ross Sorkin giving a talk about Wall Street and his new book, “Too [...]

This book released Nov. 23, 2009 contains insights, lessons and surprising personal details from some of the pioneers of the private equity and venture capital worlds.

Charles Berret/MEDILL

BY JORDAN MELNICK — MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Northern Trust Corp. [[NTRS]] got a boost Tuesday from prominent banking analyst, Richard Bove, who raised his earnings estimates and price target for the Chicago-based bank.

In a note to clients, the Rochdale Securities analyst [...]

BY JORDAN MELNICK–MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

PIMCO’s managing director Bill Gross, called the nation’s most prominent bond investor, made a grim forecast for the U.S. economy Wednesday. In “Investment Potions” he says that nominal GDP is on track to stabilize at 3 [...]

Flickr.com/Nathan Rein

BY MEGAN MOLLMANN – MEDILL NEWS SERVICE

Every American dreams of one day owning a multimillion dollar estate, but following the nation’s housing crisis, even Chicago’s ritziest real estate properties are struggling to find a buyer.

A few have even [...]