A Carlyle Group joint venture has tabled the largest bid for a European public company since US bank Lehman Brothers collapsed, suggesting private equity firms are regaining confidence financing will be available for deals.

Carlyle and education company Apollo Group have offered £304m (€338m) for education company BPP through their joint venture Apollo Global, according to a statement from the group's today. The £6.20 per share bid was at a 70% premium to Tuesday's closing price of £3.65 per share.