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Will private equity firms start giving investors their money back? Buyout barons raised more than $500bn in the past two years. Now they’re stretching to put that money to work. The credit market crunch is having an effect not unlike the venture capitalists’ misfortunes after the dotcom bust in 2001. Then, when it became clear there was too much money in Silicon Valley chasing too few deals, many gave it back to their limited partners. The latest vintage of LBO funds will almost certainly see lo...