Financial News

By Louise Heavens LONDON (Reuters) - Leading shares touched their best level in almost five years on Friday after platinum miner Lonmin said it was in possible takeover talks, sparking a gold rush among other miners, such as Anglo American , Xstrata and Kazakhmys . Shares in Northern Rock and Bradford & Bingley both rose after dealers reported talk that the two lenders may be considering a merger. The FTSE 100 share index ended the session 17.3 points higher, or 0.3 percent, at 5,846.2, gaini ...

By Eric Onstad and Miyoung Kim JOHANNESBURG/LONDON (Reuters) - South African platinum miner Lonmin Plc is in talks over a possible bid for the company, it said on Friday, sending its shares up as much as a third and sparking a global rally in mining stocks. The world's third-largest platinum miner declined to name its suitor. Lonmin's shares have more than doubled in a year on the back of soaring platinum prices, with the latest rise giving it a market value of as much as 4 billion pounds. An ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Shares in banks Northern Rock (NRK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Bradford & Bingley (BB.L: Quote, Profile, Research) hit record highs on Friday as talk swirled that the two are discussing a merger to create an 8-billion-pound mortgage specialist. Several dealers and analysts said the talk gathered momentum early on Friday afternoon and Northern Rock's shares closed up 4.6 percent at 1,150 pence, valuing it at about 5 billion pounds. B&B's shares were up 2.8 percent to 4 ...

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- The benchmark FTSE 100 index pushed to its highest level since June 2001 on Friday, with consolidation talk lifting mining stocks but with Daily Mail & General Trust slumping as plans to sell a regional newspaper chain were dashed. The FTSE 100 added 0.5% at 5,855 as other European stomk indexes also held around highs. Mining stocks made up five of the top six gai ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Shares in Northern Rock (NRK.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and Bradford & Bingley (BB.L: Quote, Profile, Research) jumped on Friday as talk swirled that the two are discussing a merger to create an 8 billion-pound mortgage specialist. Several dealers and analysts said the talk gathered momentum early on Friday afternoon and by 1548 GMT Northern Rock's shares were up 4.6 percen ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain's transport security arm said it had no concerns about the takeover by a Dubai company of terminal operations in the UK after U.S. lawmakers said the same $6.8 billion (3.9 billion-pound) deal posed a threat to security at U.S. ports. A spokesman for the Department for Transport's security division, TRANSEC, said on Friday that Dubai Ports World's takeover of P&O's (PO. ...

Nike has filed a patent infringement suit against Adidas-Salomon, claiming that a number of its rival's trainers copy its technology. US giant Nike said the Adidas shoes in question infringed its "SHOX cushioning" patents and is demanding damages from its German competitor. Nike, the world's largest sportswear manufacturer, claims it has 19 separate patents protecting its SHOX system. Adidas, the second biggest, last month completed its takeover of Reebok.  ...

Alliance Unichem, the pharmaceutical company merging with Boots, says it has expanded into Russia as it taps into rising demand for medicines. Unichem said it had paid close to £18m ($31.2m) for 96% of AP Apteka, Russia's fifth-largest drug wholesaler. Apteka has 20 depots in Russia, employs more than 2,400 people, and supplies 12,000 chemists and 2,000 hospitals. Unichem estimates the Russian wholesale drug market to be worth more than £3bn and is predicting it will keep growing ...

17 February 2006 SPORTS gear giant Nike is suing German rival Adidas-Salomon for alleged patent infringement on several of its leading lines. OTHER STORIES Green takes a shine to jewellery Euro price-fixing puts £200 on gas bills Market report: Friday 12.00 Banks forced to justify £140m charges for cash MyTravel boss gets £3.5m pay package THE EDITOR'S CHOICE N ...

Ros Snowdon Deputy City EditorTHE housing market is set to stay strong in 2006 with gentle house price inflation of around two to three per cent, according to mortgage specialist Bradford & Bingley.The group, the Uk's ninth biggest bank, echoed sentiments from rival Northern Rock last month, saying that the housing market looked resilient.An improvement in the second half of last year helped 2005  ...