Private equity’s massive UK debt binge sparks warnings of danger

Growing concerns: People walk past the Bank of England building in London. The central bank has become worried enough about potential economic threats that it’s started to examine PE giants and their businesses to assess their resilience. — Reuters

LONDON: For an idea of what private equity (PE) ownership can mean for ordinary people, UK supermarkets are a good place to start.

Both Wm Morrison Supermarkets Ltd and Asda have been labouring lately under giant debt burdens put on their shoulders by the financiers who bought them in 2021.