Welcome to Due Diligence, the FT’s daily deals briefing

Board pulled $15bn sale to Apollo after private equity group cut its offer for retirees

Dim forecasts buck the upbeat trend of recent years

Talks fail with private equity groups over acquiring cladding maker

Byzantine debt structures will lead to lengthy, litigious and very costly bankruptcies

Subscription-based financial information service is valued at more than £1bn

Concerns grow about ‘negative’ and ‘hostile’ political and regulatory environment

Critics say holding shares in companies within the same sector is anti-competitive

Singaporean group asks for more frequent briefings from emerging markets lender

Regulators fear looser lending standards for low-rated companies could precipitate the next downturn

‘I’m extremely sceptical that anyone can do stockpicking well,’ says Wealthfront CIO

Decline should be supportive for pricing amid global squalls

Chart of the week: Bogle’s fight to win a better deal for savers remains unfinished

Deal creates UK’s second-largest organisation caring for children

Pressure on rivals as US group moves to absorb research cost

Performance hit by big falls in tech stocks, economic slowdown and weaker earnings

Investors also allocate large sums to private equity and private debt

Bank to lay off 1,500 as asset servicing and index fund units both feel margin pressure

Up-to-date tax-efficient savings deals