Financial News

Yorkshire-based Directorbank will give charity Impetus access to its register of around 2,500 directors who have signed up to be considered for private equity deals.Research has shown that many of these directors are also keen to support charities.Impetus, established by Stephen Dawson, chairman of ECI, and venture capitalist Nat Sloane, supports a number of charities with financial backing.Daniel ...

The entrepreneur is NTL's biggest shareholder with a stake of 11 per cent and is understood to have ambitions in the television industry.If the deal proves successful, Sir Richard would be pitted against Rupert Murdoch, who controls British Sky Broadcasting, in the battle for ratings.Analysts say that Thursday's surprise announcement from NTL that it was interested in a possible tie-up may now spa ...

The Surrey firm rejected a 585p a share offer from a consortium including Scotland's richest man Sir Tom Hunter.Shares in the company immediately soared by more than 6 per cent to 608p to value it at £685m as investors gambled on a higher offer being made.Sir Tom made the offer through bid vehicle Castle Bidco, which is owned by his investment firm West Coast Capital and Bank of Scotland Corporate ...

Philippe Varin said the proposed deal with Tata, which would create the world's fifth-largest steelmaker, was "definitely a good offer"."It is the right partner at the right time," he told an industry conference in Dusseldorf, Germany.The Anglo-Dutch steelmaker approved the Tata offer last month, which Mr Varin said remained on track to be finalised by January.Standard Life Investments, Corus's bi ...

U.S. stocks turned higher in choppy trade Friday as American International Group's strong financial results and a $10 billion aircraft order for Boeing Co. offset some disappointment over Walt Disney Co.'s latest earnings report. A decline in the price of oil also put a floor under declines. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) was last up 2 points at 12,105, but off an early high of 12,12 ...

This is Money10 November 2006 Homebuilder Crest Nicholson emerged as a takeover target today after it turned down a bid worth £658.6m. WANT TO KNOW MORE? REPORT: Heron causes a flap as it stalks Crest MORE: Gladedale set for £500m raid on rivals DATA: Crest Nicholson OTHER STORIES City scoffs at NTL move for ITV Market report: Friday latest Market report: Yesterday's t ...

LONDON (AFX) - Leading European exchanges were lower in midday trade, with weakness among the telecoms and poor results from Capitalia offsetting consensus-beating third quarter figures from ENI, while retreating crude oil prices are seen pushing Wall Street stocks higher at the open, dealers said. At 11.57 am, the STOXX 50 Index was 4.09 points lower at 3,713.08, while the STOXX 600 lost 0.16 po ...

Robert Lea, Evening Standard10 November 2006 The ambitious £9bn plan to merge ITV with the NTL-Virgin Media group is being promoted by ITV stalker Goldman Sachs and the cable television company's biggest investor, Sir Richard Branson, who wants to create a viable competitor to the BBC and Sky. CHALLENGER: Branson wants to become a major player in the media world OTHER STORIES Hornby puts Airfix back on track Market report: Friday latest Market report: Yesterday' ...

LONDON (AFX) - Leading shares were lower in early deals, following on from declines on Wall Street and Asian indices overnight amid investor caution over rising oil prices and US election concerns, with UK blue chips weighed down by mining and pharma sectors, dealers said. At 9.00 am, the FTSE 100 index was 20.4 points lighter at 6,211.1, extending yesterday's decline when the index ended 7.5 poi ...

WHO'S BUYING: NTL?CABLE company NTL has confirmed it is interested in pursuing a merger with broadcaster ITV. The UK's biggest cable operator, which has already bought Virgin Mobile and Telewest this year, said it had advised Coronation Street maker ITV of its interest in exploring a "possible combination transaction". It has scheduled an initial conversation with the company, which has struggled recently in a weak advertising market and is still yet to replace Charles Allen as chief executive ...