Financial News

Lucy Farndon, Daily Mail22 December 2005 TESCO could overtake Boots within five years as the biggest seller of health and beauty products. A report from research group Verdict reveals that Boots' market share fell to 25.1% in 2005, the lowest level since 1997. LOOKING GOOD: Tesco will soon take over from Boots as the country's leading beauty retailer WANT TO KNOW MORE? MARKET DATA: Tesco MARKET DATA: Boots POLL: Does Tesco offer value for money compared to rivals? OTHER  ...

James Rossiter, Evening Standard23 December 2005 THE THREE key directors at housebuilder Westbury are set for an £8m windfall from share sales and pay-off deals after recommending investors accept a £643m takeover bid from larger rival Persimmon. OTHER STORIES Shops hurt by bargain hunters Market report: Friday close Pernod's £80m from sale of Glen Grant CBI drops support for parental leave Postal revolution in the New Year THE EDITOR'S CHOI ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Private equity group Laxey Partners completed a boardroom coup at Wyevale Garden Centres on Thursday, mustering enough votes to oust the chairman and two other directors. At the second extraordinary general meeting forced by Laxey this year, it and hedge fund group Millennium Partners had sufficient votes to pass a series of resolutions designed to replace Chairman David Willia ...

Telecoms group Swisscom has been told it may buy foreign firms, reversing a previous order by the Swiss government. Switzerland's leading telecoms firm was forced to abandon takeover talks with Ireland's Eircom earlier this month, after ministers objected to the deal. The Swiss government currently controls Swisscom and argues foreign expansion could limit domestic investment. While the new ruling will permit Swisscom to seek deals abroad, it comes with strict conditions. 'Tight corset' The ...

Italian drinks firm Campari has acquired three Scottish whisky brands from France's Pernod Ricard in a deal worth 130m euros ($154m; £89m). Campari said it was buying Glen Grant, the world's second-biggest single malt whisky brand, as well as Old Smuggler and Braemar whiskies. The deal sees the end of a series of assets sales at Pernod Ricard following its takeover of UK rival Allied Domecq. Campari said the acquisition still needed European Commission approval. Under the deal, it will  ...

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) - U.S. stocks were mixed in thin pre-holiday market action Friday, with trading spiced up by merger news, including a raised $4.2 billion bid from European steelmaker Arcelor for Canada's Dofasco and Apax Partners's $1.6 billion agreement to buy Tommy Hilfiger. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was down 11.77 points at 10,877.67. The S&P 500 (SPX) was down 1.19  ...

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) - U.S. stocks turned higher in thin pre-holiday afternoon trade Friday, as the market got a bit of color from merger news, including a raised $4.2 billion bid from European steelmaker Arcelor for Canada's Dofasco and Apax Partners' $1.6 billion agreement to buy Tommy Hilfiger. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was up 4.24 points at 10,893.68. The S&P 500 (SPX) w ...

NEW YORK (Dow Jones) - U.S. stock prices closed at almost flat levels Friday, after a light-volume pre-Christmas session enlivened chiefly by merger news, such as a raised $4.2 billion bid from European steelmaker Arcelor for Canada's Dofasco and Apax Partners' $1.6 billion agreement to buy Tommy Hilfiger. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) closed down 6.17 points at 10,883.27. The S&amp ...