Cezary Podkul

With 30 of the nation’s transit agencies at risk of bankruptcy due to AIG-guaranteed bank loans, some members of Congress are beginning to ask for stronger oversight of PPP financings to make sure they don’t cause similar troubles for the public sector.

The European Union-focused infrastructure fund is expected to hold a second close early next year. DIF’s first infrastructure fund, DIF PPP, is now almost fully invested and its renewable energy fund is expected to be fully invested by the first quarter of 2009.

The Australian Takeovers Panel requested that the proportional takeover by Lend Lease of listed retirement village fund Babcock & Brown Communities be delayed until 17 November to allow for a shareholder vote.

Though the results reflect a slowed investment pace constrained by bank lending, the listed infrastructure fund headlined £50.3m in profits. Managing partner Michael Queen said 3i Infrastructure wants to be part of a Gatwick Airport deal.

Under new rules that went into effect 1 November, private investors refinancing assets under the UK’s private finance initiative will have to share a larger proportion of the gain with public sector authorities, up to and including 70%.

While declining to make a declaration of unacceptable circumstances over Lend Lease’s proportional takeover offer for the listed retirement village fund, the Australian Takeovers Panel requested the two parties not execute the first part of their agreement before the shareholder vote on 17 November.

Citing 'exceptional client demand' for its initial foray into infrastructure, the institutional asset manager may seek to raise a second fund in 2009. The UBS International Infrastructure Fund has already made three investments since last year.

What’s the best way to own infrastructure assets? A small, but increasingly vocal, group of open ended fund managers are saying, “Our way”, finds Cezary Podkul.

US Senator Barack Obama would likely rely more on federal funding to pay for transportation infrastructure projects, while Senator John McCain would likely turn more to the private sector, said Adrian Moore, vice president of research at the Reason Foundation.

LPs are upping their exposure to infrastructure and most still prefer standard ten year private equity fund lives, among other findings from a survey of 218 senior investments by the California-based placement agent.