German minister: London Stock Exchange “derailed” Deutsche Boerse deal and shifted blame on to Brussels March 12, 2017 An influential German minister has accused the London Stock Exchange of having “derailed” its Deutsche Boerse merger and attempted to “pass the buck to Brussels”. Thomas Schaefer, the finance minister of the state of Hesse, where Deutsche Boerse is based, suggested the deal has seemingly broken down because the UK company was unwilling to reconsider the [...]
Former L’Occitane boss and CVC Capital Partners plot bid for The Body Shop March 12, 2017 Former L’Occitane boss Emmanuel Osti is plotting a bid for The Body Shop. Osti is working with CVC Capital Partners, which agreed to sell control of Formula One to John Malone’s Liberty Media last year, for the takeover. The Body Shop was put on the market by owners L’oreal last month. The French cosmetics giant [...]
Bovis Homes confirms merger talks with Galliford Try after rejecting Redrow offer March 12, 2017 Bovis Homes is in £2.5bn merger talks with fellow housebuilder Galliford Try after rejecting a bid from Redrow. FTSE 250-listed Galliford Try said the tie-up would create “a new major housebuilder with national scale and geographic coverage through the combination of the sixth and eighth largest UK housebuilders by completions”. Bovis, which is also on [...]
BP’s share price lifts on speculation of a takeover by Exxon Mobil March 10, 2017 Shares in oil major BP have risen today as speculation reemerges about takeover interest from Exxon Mobil, the world's largest listed oil company. Shares in the FTSE 100-listed firm were up 4.01 per cent at 472.2p in late afternoon trading. US-based Exxon Mobil is gauging interest in a potential takeover from BP's major shareholders, it has been reported. Shell and Chevron [...]
US takeovers in Europe hit record levels despite Dulux owner brushing off £18bn approach from PPG Industries March 9, 2017 US takeovers in Europe are heading for record levels this year, despite Azko Nobel, the Dutch paints and coatings maker behind Dulux, rejected a €21bn (£18bn) from rival PPG Industries. Some 205 US-Europe deals have been agreed so far this year, according to Thomson Reuters. While the number is down on 263 agreed last year, [...]
US cereal maker Post Holdings wants to have its Weetabix and readies £1.5bn bid, as the race to buy the breakfast brand narrows to just two bidders March 8, 2017 An American firm is lining up a £1.5bn bid for Weetabix, as it prepares to go head-to-head with another company interested in snapping up the breakfast cereal brand. According to Sky News, which first reported the story, Post Holdings, which makes Golden Crisp and Cocoa Pebbles, is one of just two bidders left competing to [...]
Former culture secretary John Whittingdale sees no problem with 21st Century Fox-Sky deal (but would refer it to Ofcom) March 8, 2017 Former culture secretary John Whittingdale has said he does not have a problem with 21st Century Fox’s Sky takeover and believes Channel 4 could thrive if sold off by the government. Whittingdale, who held the position until last year, was speaking at a time when his successor, Karen Bradley, is considering whether to refer Fox’s [...]
Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox tells government: Sky takeover is “in the interest of the UK” March 8, 2017 Rupert Murdoch’s 21st Century Fox has written to the government setting out why its Sky takeover is “in the interest of the UK, its creative economy and its consumers”. Culture secretary Karen Bradley is currently considering whether to refer the £11.7bn deal to broadcasting regulator Ofcom. Read more: Murdoch Empire 2.0 or socialist witch-hunt? MPs [...]
Budget 2017: Government provides updates on sales of Green Investment Bank, Lloyds and RBS March 8, 2017 The government remained largely quiet on its various privatisation processes in the Budget today. The Treasury announced no new sell-offs, and confirmed the sale of the Green Investment Bank and £12bn of student loans are ongoing. The Green Investment Bank sale process has come under intense scrutiny in recent months, with several MPs raising concerns about [...]
Property fund Pradera, backed by UK private wealth partnership LJ Partnership, buys 25 Ikea retail parks across Europe in €900m deal March 8, 2017 A retail property fund and asset manager has agreed a €900m (£780m) deal for 25 Ikea retail parks across Europe. Pradera, which is backed by UK-based private wealth partnership LJ Partnership, is buying centres in eight countries across the continent as part of the deal. The retail parks, situated next to Ikea stores, comprise around 500 [...]