Good evening,

The go-slow that’s been impacting on Australian deals all year is affecting a handful of big infrastructure auctions, with once-tight timetables blowing out as sellers struggle to lock in their suitors.

The big ones dragging on include CWP Renewables, where owner Partners Group collected binding bids last week, chemicals business Ixom (which attracted infrastructure investors) and Vector Metering, whose bid date has been delayed.

Bankers reckon funding markets are at the root of the delays, with bidders struggling to lock in their banks in light of financial market conditions and wider economic uncertainty.

In Street Talk tonight, we’ve spotted Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting making waves on a few fronts.

First, it’s hit the lead in the escalating battle between Perth billionaires for Warrego Energy, while we’ve also spotted it bidding aggressively for stakes in two more rare earths plays.

We also have news of Credit Suisse bankrolling Pallas Capital’s new fund - proof, in case we needed it, that the Swiss bank hasn’t put its cue back in the rack - and reveal Allen & Overy’s new head of leveraged finance.

Happy reading

Anthony Macdonald, Sarah Thompson and Kanika Sood
Street Talk editors