Manufacturing tops March deals list

March aggregated $1.52 billion (around R6,734 crore) worth of investments in private equity and venture capital (PE/VC) deals, up 44% from the corresponding month last year, according to data from Four-S Services. The first three months of 2011 have seen PE investments worth $2.76 billion in Indian companies across 87 deals, up 25% from the same period last year. January-March 2010 period recorded PE investments worth $2.21 billion across 78 deals. The average size of deals has also increased from $31.6 million to $42.4 million during the same period. The manufacturing sector topped the investment chart in March, accounting for 55.3% of investments with a deal value of $842.3 million. Infrastructure came second with deals worth $308.6 million across 11 deals. Mint, in association with Four-S Services, presents a snapshot of the private equity landscape in India. The charts cover PE activity for the last month, and till date this year.