Thomson Merger News

| TPG cancels B&B investment Fri, 4 Jul, 08:03 GMT
UK institutions will take up US$350m stake in mortgage lender no longer wanted by US private equity firm

BSkyB eyes Spanish broadcaster Fri, 4 Jul, 07:57 GMT
UK satellite TV group could launch US$3.9bn bid for Digital+
Friends Provident disposal stutters Fri, 4 Jul, 14:19 GMT
Swiss Life reported to have pulled out of bidding for Lombard insurance business
Qatar ups Sainsbury stake Fri, 4 Jul, 14:18 GMT Updated: Fri, 4 Jul, 15:13 GMT
The government of Qatar increases stake in British supermarket to 26% fuelling bid talk
Sarkozy calls for French SWF Fri, 4 Jul, 14:15 GMT
French president plants to turn Caisse des Dépôts et Consignations into US$635bn sovereign wealth fund
FL buys 39% of House of Fraser owner Fri, 4 Jul, 14:11 GMT
FL Group, the Icelandic investment group, is taking a major slice of Baugur which is now contemplating moving to the UK
GfK approves TNS merger Fri, 4 Jul, 14:10 GMT
Anglo-German market research merger approved by GfK board

Vimpelcom ups stake in Kar-TelFri, 4 Jul, 16:00 GMT
Russia's second largest mobile player pays US$561.8m for a further 25% stake
Kremikovtzi bailed out by ArcelorMittalFri, 4 Jul, 13:58 GMT
Debt-ridden Bulgarian steel maker receives help from global peer
Barclays PE buys manufacturing companyFri, 4 Jul, 11:44 GMT
Private equity firm acquires Konrad Hornschuch in secondary management buyout
Laxey agrees TDG offerFri, 4 Jul, 11:10 GMT
Transport group recommends US$400m bid from activist investor
Sweden sells property company finallyFri, 4 Jul, 10:49 GMT
The Swedish government privatises Vasakronan for US$6.9bn

Special report

InBev would have to sell some of Bud’s Chinese breweriesThu, 3 Jul, 11:47 GMT
The owner of Stella Artois and Leffe brands may have to sell Anheuser-Busch’s Tsingtao

UniCredit adds NewSmith credit armThu, 3 Jul, 14:08 GMT
Italian bank will buy credit advisory business of hedge fund and take 5% in parent business
Capital Dynamics opens in MunichThu, 3 Jul, 13:53 GMT
Swiss-headquartered alternative assets firm opens office in Munich headed by co-founder Katharina Lichtner

International M&A at a glanceFri, 4 Jul, 08:49 GMT
Axel Springer; Beiersdorf's Bode chemicals; Merck KGaA's Performance & Life Science; Eneco's commercial power supply; RWE's Russian TGK-2 / Sintez Group; Intesa Sanpaolo / Alitalia; Capital Research / Finmeccanica; UniCredit's insurance broker unit
UK M&A at a glanceFri, 4 Jul, 08:46 GMT
British Sky Broadcasting / Digital Plus; Bradford & Bingley / TPG Capital; Mitchells & Butlers, Virgin Atlantic / British Airways, American Airlines, IIberia; Ryanair / Aer Lingus; Baugur; HBOS's Bank West; Rank Group / Hong Leong; Cinpart; Premier Foods

Knitting patterns (or a stitch in time…)Fri, 4 Jul, 12:00 GMT
The UK's mid-marmarket has no need to wander off the beaten track into alternative strategies just yet despite reports of a dearth of activity so far in 2008
Marks & Sainsbury revisitedThu, 3 Jul, 14:01 GMT
A revival of the proposed merger between the UK's iconic retailers could save face for Sir Stuart Rose and the Qataris
Unions UniteThu, 3 Jul, 11:41 GMT
After years of condemning globalisation, unions are finally getting in on the act. But will they really make much difference?

OMV to sue MOL Thu, 3 Jul, 12:17 GMT
Austrian oil & gas group wants to sue Hungarian acquisition target.
Citi brokers private equity and law firm talksThu, 3 Jul, 11:51 GMT
Investment bank acts as conduit for potential tie-ups between UK’s largest law firms and private equity houses