As we have the criteria Asset Class (with Equity and Private Equity (under Alternative Investments), Liquidity (Type of Market), and Investment Vehicle the classification goes as follows:
The fact that a private equity company is listed on a stock exchange does not influence its core business: investing in unquoted companies.
The phrase “private equity” became widespread in the late 1980s following major buyout fund activity. Private equity, as the term suggests, involves investments of equity capital in private businesses. It provides long-term, committed share capital, to help unquoted companies grow and succeed.