Financial News

PARIS/LONDON (Reuters) - WPP Group and its U.S. partner Hellman & Friedman are in talks with French financier Vincent Bollore over a possible 1.6 billion pound joint bid for media buying firm Aegis before a deadline on Friday, sources close to the matter said. The three have approached Aegis (AGS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) over a possible extension to the bid deadline but so far the British media firm has not budged, the sources said on Monday. Under UK Takeover Panel rules, Aegis would nee ...

LONDON (MarketWatch) - French telecommunications-equipment maker Alcatel is considering a 5-billion-pound ($8.6 billion) bid for defense contractor Thales, The Sunday Times reported over the weekend. document.write('');   MARKETWATCH TOP NEWS Mentor makes $2.2B offer for Medicis Economy absorbs hurricanes' punch Rally bulls still upbeat on short week Bill has come due fo ...

Nick Goodway, Evening Standard21 November 2005 TWO of the biggest players in online gambling were daggers drawn today, after Empire Online said it had stopped takeover talks with its much larger rival PartyGaming and would be taking it to court. OTHER STORIES House prices hit £200,000 Market report: Monday preview Cazenove's power base starts slipping Royal Mail grabs £2bn l ...

Jon Rees, Mail on Sunday20 November 2005 FORMER Carlton shareholders face missing out on a £90m bonus after ITV, the television giant formed by the merger with Granada in October 2002, failed to meet financial targets. OTHER STORIES Royal Mail grabs £2bn lifeline LSE and Euronext push for a merger Market report: Friday close A to Z of the Sunday newspapers Cheap flats give ...

Tom McGhie, Mail on Sunday20 November 2005 DEFENCE giant BAE Systems has successfully tested a system to beat terrorist missile attacks on commercial aircraft. OTHER STORIES Royal Mail grabs £2bn lifeline LSE and Euronext push for a merger Market report: Friday close A to Z of the Sunday newspapers Cheap flats give new buyers hope THE EDITOR'S PICKS Halifax takes axe to ...

Tom McGhie, Mail on Sunday20 November 2005 BRITAIN'S largest user of gas, chemicals producer Terra Nitrogen, has started to slow production because it cannot afford the latest huge rise in fuel prices. OTHER STORIES Royal Mail grabs £2bn lifeline LSE and Euronext push for a merger Market report: Friday close A to Z of the Sunday newspapers Cheap flats give new buyers hope  ...

Tom McGhie, Mail on Sunday20 November 2005 THE future of Royal Mail has been secured after the Government agreed to inject £2 billion into the insolvent organisation. And for the first time in its 300-year history, workers are to be given a stake in the business. OTHER STORIES LSE and Euronext push for a merger Market report: Friday close A to Z of the Sunday newspapers Mortgage ...

Helia Ebrahimi, Mail on Sunday20 November 2005 THE London Stock Exchange is holding talks with its Franco-Dutch rival Euronext over a merger of equals. OTHER STORIES Royal Mail grabs £2bn lifeline Market report: Friday close A to Z of the Sunday newspapers Mortgage lending nears record high Cold snap pushes up gas price THE EDITOR'S PICKS Halifax takes axe to 0% Beat th ...

LONDON (Reuters) - French financier Vincent Bollore has approached media firm Aegis (AGS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , the takeover target that he is the biggest shareholder in, with a plan to carve it up with his two rival bidders, The Daily Telegraph reported. Saturday's Telegraph said the Aegis board is considering the three-way proposal and is undecided whether to recommend the plan to its s ...

David Parkin Business EditorSHARES in Britain's leading companies were within touching distance of a new four-year high last night as hopes of a pre-Christmas rally gathered pace.The FTSE 100 Index closed 38.9 points higher at 5498.9 – after surging as much as 71 points earlier in the day boosted by record metal prices attracting investors to stocks in natural resource companies, persistent talks  ...