Special Report: Deal of the year

Big mining projects, hotly contested takeovers, new floats and trade sales feature in WA Business News’ review of the top deals of 2005.

‘Everyone makes money in a boom’ and ‘every deal is a winner’ are statements that ought to be consigned to that list of other great lies, such as the ‘cheque is in the mail’ – a point that close observers of the deals of 2005 will have noted.

The late Lang Hancock was usually described as a mining magnate but the great frustration in his life was that he never developed his own mine.

Three high-profile transactions launched during 2005 ran into unexpected difficulties, providing telling reminders that even the best-laid plans can run off course.

Western Australian companies raised a record $3 billion in new equity issues in 2005, underpinning a second boom year for local broking firms Patersons Securities and Euroz Securities.

Private equity investors participated in some of the largest and most notable transactions in Western Australia in 2005, including the rescue of biotech company Chemeq and the acquisition of EG Green Group.

The boom conditions in Western Australia’s iron ore industry have underpinned a rapid increase in capital raisings by current and aspiring iron ore miners.