Asia Private Equity Weekly News, October 6, 2014

Oct 6 (Reuters) - News and developments in Asia private equity from Reuters News for the week ending Oct. 3.

OCTOBER 3

SPECIALITY CHEMICALS company Platform Specialty Products Corp is in advanced talks to acquire agrichemical company Arysta LifeScience Ltd from private equity firm Permira Advisers LLP, people familiar with the matter said.

OCTOBER 2

VIRGIN AUSTRALIA Holdings Ltd said the foreign investment review board has given its nod to the proposed acquisition of a 35 percent stake in its frequent flyer program. In August, Virgin announced the sale to private equity firm Affinity Equity Partners after annual net loss tripled.

OCTOBER 1

SOME BANKS and other financial firms have begun moving staff to back-up premises on the outskirts of Hong Kong to prevent growing unrest in the financial hub from disrupting trading and other critical functions, two business services firms said.

3I GROUP Plc said it had sold LHi Technology, an Asia-headquartered designer and maker of cables used in medical equipment and devices, to U.S. firm Carlisle Companies Inc at an enterprise value of around $195 million. 3i made about 2.9 times its money on the deal, the statement said. (http://bit.ly/1rcG7j4)

CHINA INVESTMENT Corp and AVIC Capital Co Ltd have ended talks to acquire Avolon Holdings Ltd, making it likely that the aircraft leasing company will pursue an initial public offering, according to people familiar with the matter.

SEPTEMBER 29

BLACKROCK (NYSE: BLK - news) has completed the sale of Exchange Tower in London to a group of Asian investors led by private equity firm Gaw Capital Partners for 191 million pounds ($310.4 million), equating to 395 pounds per square foot, the two firms said in a statement. (http://bit.ly/1rp2pEc)

JAPANESE RESTAURANT operator Skylark Co Ltd priced its IPO at the bottom of its marketing range but staffing firm Recruit Holdings Co Ltd bumped up its pricing plans, in a sign that investors have become more selective about Tokyo offerings.

AUSTRALIA'S TREASURY Wine Estates Ltd, one of the world's biggest wine companies, rejected takeover offers from private equity firms saying bids that valued it at $3 billion were insufficient and required it take on too much debt.

STANDARD CHARTERED Private Equity said it had acquired a significant minority stake in Vietnamese agricultural company An Giang Plant Protection Joint Stock Co. (http://bit.ly/1yxtHft)

(1 US dollar = 0.6154 British pound) (Compiled by Stephen Aldred in Hong Kong; Editing by Prateek Chatterjee)