Lawson Inc. has ended its bid to acquire am/pm Japan Co., Ltd., which is majority-owned by REX Holdings, Inc., a portfolio company of Advantage Partners, LLP.
       Lawson cited differences over trademark licensing as reasons for aborting this transaction. In early 2007, Advantage Partners, LLP took control of REX Holdings. (Japan)

American International Group Inc. ('AIG')'s asset management business is reportedly garnering the interest of the US-based Franklin Templeton Investments, Australia's Macquarie Group Ltd. ('Macquarie') and India's Religare Enterprises Ltd. ('Religare'). Macquarie and Religare have reportedly teamed up to bid about US$500 million for the AIG subsidiary. (Global)

The International Finance Corporation ('IFC') is considering an investment in Shenyang Dairy Company Limited ('Shenyang Dairy'). It could be allocating a total of US$20 million to Shenyang Dairy which had earlier raised capital from CLSA Capital Partners and Japan Asia Investment Co., Ltd. (People's Republic of China)

US-based Harbert Management Corporation has launched an Australia-focused private equity fund that will focus on mid-market buyouts and expansion capital deals. Local reports suggest Harbert Australia has a target fund size of A$100 million (US$77.7 million). (Australia)

Quam Limited announced its agreement with Suzhou High-Tech Venture Capital Co. Ltd to form a venture capital fund management firm, Suzhou Gaohua Venture Investment Management Ltd.. The joint venture will manage a fund that has a target size of 800 million yuan (US$116.7 million). (People's Republic of China)

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China has teamed up with China Construction and its investment banking arm CCB International (Holdings) Ltd. to set up the country's first aviation-focused industrial fund. It has an initial target size of 5 billion yuan (US$732.6 million) and a fund life of 5 to 10 years and will be managed by Yufeng Fund Management Co., Ltd. (People's Republic of China)

Ironbridge Capital Pty Ltd ('Ironbridge'), currently a 0.49% shareholder in Bravura Solutions Limited ('Bravura'), will fully underwrite Bravura's proposed A$33.4 million (US$25.0 million) rights issue. Ironbridge will also subscribe an additional A$13 million worth of Bravura shares. (Australia)

Warburg Pincus is reportedly close to making an investment in Transpacific Industries Group Ltd. ('Transpacific'), a waste management company, in a deal that is estimated at A$800 million (US$616.7 million). Transpacific's shares have been suspended from trading since February this year. (Australia)

Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co. remains in talks to take up a stake in United Spirits Ltd., according to local reports. The global buyout firm could team up with Diageo plc to buy a combined 25% stake in United Spirits, one of the world's leading distillers.
       United Spirits has a market capitalisation of more than 80 billion rupees (US$1.7 billion). (India)

New Silk Route Advisors Pvt. Ltd. has committed 1.35 billion rupees (US$27.7 million) in K.S. Oils Limited ('K.S. Oils'), an integrated edible oil company. Existing investors Baring Private Equity Asia and Citi Venture Capital International have also participated in the round. K.S. Oils first received private equity capital in 2006. (India)

The Goldman Sachs-led consortium of investors has raised its equity stake in USJ Co., Ltd. through a ¥10 billion (US$106.2 million) acquisition of the Osaka City's interest in the operator of Universal Studios Japan in Osaka. The financial institution is teaming up with MBK Partners and Owl Creek Asset Management and launched a tender offer bid for USJ. The result of which is expected to be known within days. (Japan)

RHJ International ('RHJI') has injected ¥3.5 billion (US$36.5 million) into Niles Co. Ltd, as part of the latter's capital restructuring. Part of the ¥3.5 billion will be used by Niles to repay ¥2.5 billion in short-term debt. Niles has suffered a decline in revenues due to the "unprecedented production decline in the automotive industry", according to RHJI which first invested in Niles in 2001. (Japan)

IDGVC Partners has teamed up with the Hong Kong-based Infiniti Capital Ltd. to commit an aggregate US$20 million to One Net Entertainment Limited that focuses in mobile and online PC gaming. It is a subsidiary of the NASDAQ-listed China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology Limited which had earlier received funds from SeaBright Asset Management Ltd. and HSBC Private Equity (Asia). (People's Republic of China)

Oceanus Group Limited ('Oceanus') has secured a total of S$73.5 million (US$50.1 million) from AIF Capital and Hupomone Capital Partners in the form of cash term loans. Oceanus is the world's largest land-based abalone producer. (People's Republic of China)

KPCB China has made its first investment in the biotech sector, investing US$15 million in Jinsite Science and Technology (Nanjing) Co. Ltd. which is an international Contract Research Organisation that offers outsourcing services on biological and pharmaceutical research. (People's Republic of China)

CCB International ('CCBI') has reportedly signed an agreement to invest US$160 million into an agricultural project in Heilongjiang Province that produces high-quality rice. CCBI will provide the funds while its local partner will own the land rights. (People's Republic of China)

Lombard Investments, Inc. ('Lombard') has purchased shares of Robinson Department Store Public Company Limited for an estimated 384 million baht (US$10.9 million). Robinson operates 20 department stores in Thailand.(Thailand)

ChrysCapital has sold a portion of its holdings in Shriram Transport Finance Company Limited ('Shriram Transport') that is estimated to have returned no less than 2.7 billion rupees (US$55.4 million) to its coffers.
       Since 2005, ChrysCapital had invested an aggregate amount of around 1 billion rupees in Shriram Transport and Shiram Investments Ltd. which were subsequently merged and renamed as Shiram Transport Finance. (India)

MagnaChip Semiconductors LLC ('MagnaChip'), backed by a consortium of investors including CVC Asia Pacific could be acquired by a private equity unit within KTB Securities Co. Ltd., according to Reuters. MagnaChip came under the control of financial investors in late 2004. (South Korea)