The Financial Post reports in its Tuesday edition Brookfield Asset Management is raising $1.1-billion through a new equity issue that will help the asset manager finance some of the deals it is eyeing (all dollar figures U.S.). A Reuters dispatch to the Post says Brookfield, which recently announced a 3:2 stock split, also said it plans to boost its quarterly dividend payout 6 per cent to 12 cents a share. The Toronto company that owns a vast portfolio of real estate, energy and infrastructure assets is widely viewed as one of the front-runners in a number of sales processes. Brookfield was one of five companies bidding to win control of the Colombian government's controlling share of electricity generator Isagen SA. The sale of the 57.6-per-cent interest is expected to raise about five trillion pesos ($2-billion). Brookfield is also in advanced talks to acquire sugar processor Renuka do Brasil SA for about 1.5 billion reais ($490-million) in debt. Earlier this month, U.S. oil and gas company Apache said it had agreed to sell its exploration and production unit in Australia for $2.1-billion to a consortium of funds managed by Macquarie and Brookfield. Brookfield closed Monday at $70.71, up 56 cents.