M&A
Nokia confirms speculation regarding tie-up with Alcatel
Finnish handset maker Nokia has confirmed it is in advanced talks to acquire all of Alcatel Lucent.
Telecity gets German clearance in Interxion merger
European data centre group Telecity has announced that Germany has given the green light for its recommended all-share merger with US-listed peer Interxion.
Travelodge could be sold for £1bn
Budget hotel chain Travelodge owned by GoldenTree Asset Management, Goldman Sachs and Avenue Capital could be sold for £1bn (€1. 39bn), said The Times.
Majestic Wine snaps up rival Naked Wines for £70m
UK wine merchant Majestic Wine on Friday announced it will buy Naked Wines, a customer funded international online wine business, for up to £70m.
M&A more than just tie-ups; underlying health of market robust
Mergers and acquisitions are more than just about companies getting hitched, willingly or unwillingly.
LinkedIn to acquire training website Lynda.com for $1.5bn
Business networking group LinkedIn Corporation has agreed the takeover of professional training website Lynda. com for $1. 5bn.
Poundland's 99p Stores deal could be rejected, threatens competition regulator
The UK competition regulator has threatened to reject discount retailer Poundland's proposed acquisition of 99p Stores.
Market overview: Traders react coolly to BG takeover bid
1630:Close UK shares ended the session lower despite a massive £47bn buy-out offer from Royal Dutch Shell for BG Group. The deal got a cool reception from markets, with stock in BG ending the day at 1,153p, well off from the 1,350p a share price at which the offer valued it – for a stonking 50% premium. The news drew sceptical remarks from analyst Neill Morton at Investec. He wrote to clients saying that: “The deal is predicated on a strong recovery in oil prices ($90/bl from 2018), while we suspect that Shell is pouncing on BG’s imminent free cash flow to protect its burdensome dividend payout.
ARM shares leap higher on resurfacing chatter of Apple interest
Shares in chipmaker ARM Holdings rose as high as 3% late afternoon in London after a report from a Chinese news outlet pointed to US consumer tech giant Apple being a likely suitor to snap up the UK-listed company.
BG Group shares rocket on recommended £47bn takeover offer from Shell
Shares in BG Group rocketed on Wednesday after the natural gas company recommended a £47bn cash-and-shares takeover offer by Royal Dutch Shell, sparking speculation about a fresh wave of M&A activity in the sector.
Shell-BG Group takeover expected to spark M&A fever in oil sector
Shell's £47bn takeover offer for BG Group not only sent shares in the natural gas outfit soaring on Wednesday, but gave other stocks in the sector a big boost.
Market overview: Footsie plays catch-up with markets overseas
1630:Close The Footsie ended the day higher as London markets played catch-up with gains Stateside over Easter. Last Friday's weaker than expected US jobs report - which led traders to push out the expected date for the first rate hike by the US Fed - together with gains in crude futures, proved a potent mix. Over the weekend Saudi Arabia raised its prices on crude shipments to Asian buyers. Markets took that as a sign of improved demand. To take into account as well, a last minute agreement between Iran and the P5+1 nations kept negotiations to bring with the Islamic Republic on track.
Informatica sold to Permira and CPPIB for $5.3bn
Informatica confirmed it is being acquired by Permira funds and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) for $5. 3bn.
Fedex to buy Dutch TNT Express for 4.4bn euros
FedEx and Dutch delivery company TNT Express announced on Tuesday they had reached an agreement by which the US courier giant will buy the Dutch group in an all-cash eight euro-a-share offer.
Vodafone shares gain as UBS speculates about possible Liberty Global deal
Shares in telecoms giant Vodafone (VOD) were on the rise on Tuesday after UBS highlighted the possibility of a bid from US cable operator Liberty Global (LBTY).
Lafont wants Lafarge-Holcim chief to have industry experience
Bruno Lafont, the chief executive of cement group Lafarge, has told French newspaper Le Monde that he wants the boss of the merged Lafarge-Holcim company to be someone with industry experience who also has the ability to create value for its shareholders.
Japanese firm eyes up Tate & Lyle's Splenda division
There looks to be good news for Tate & Lyle with reports that Ajinomoto, a Japanese sweetener maker, has its eye on the group's struggling Splenda division.
Melrose to slice off Elster Water
FTSE 250 investment company Melrose Industries is reportedly planning to dispose of the water division of smart meter business, Elster.
Playtech moves into financial trading with €458m acquisition of TradeFX
In its first move into the financial trading market, online gaming company Playtech has agreed to acquire forex and CFD provider company TradeFX, a company owned by Playtech's billionaire founder Teddy Sagi, for up to €458m (£335m).
Diageo takes full control of South African sorghum beer business
Guinness and Smirnoff maker Diageo is buying out its joint venture (JV) partner in a traditional sorghum beer business in South Africa.