Piper Private Equity said to be in talks to buy Propercorn stake

It's funny how in dealmaking in certain sectors suddenly becomes fashionable. And this week it's popcorn that is in vogue.

Word on the street is that Propercorn has been working with NM Rothschild on a stake sale and is in talks with Piper Equity Partners about a deal.

Informa said to be sniffing around Top Right Group

FTSE 250-listed Informa, the publisher of Lloyd's List, has been studying a £1 billion takeover of Top Right Group, the publishing, data and events company backed by the Guardian Media Group.

According to well-placed sources, Informa recently expressed an interest in Top Right Group, publisher of several well-known trade magazines such as Retail Week.

Revealed: Argus Media Group appoints bankers to carry out sale of up to £1 billion - part 3

It was only yesterday that I broke the story about Argus Media Group but already the names of serious buyers of the energy data business are coming out of the woodwork.

Indeed, I understand several private equity firms have a strong interest in Argus Media Group, such as Hellman & Friedman, which has an established track record in the sector having previously invested in Wood Mackenzie, the commodities research and publishing group.