City News in Brief: Sorrell, BG Group, SCi
The Evening Standard's City staff present an at-a-glance sector-by-sector briefing on the latest stock market news
City news: A round up of the day's shorter stories
SCi names analyst as financial chief
SCI Entertainment, the computer games maker behind Tomb Raider and Championship Manager, has hired a City analyst to be its new chief financial officer.
Robert Brent is head of research at KBC Peel Hunt, one of the company's stockbrokers. Brent has been at KBC since 2000, before which he was in the Royal Navy.
SCi has been at the centre of takeover talk, with French group Infogrames recently walking away from a deal.
BG in war of words with Aussie target
BG Group, the London-based gas explorer and producer, upped the ante in its hostile takeover bid for Australian energy group Origin after its £6.7bn offer was again rebutted.
BG chief Frank Chapman said Origin needed the backing of a group like BG to exploit its gas reserves.
Origin's shares traded at A$16.11 overnight, against BG's A$15.50 offer.
Nord Anglia accepts higher Barings bid
Education group Nord Anglia has finally accepted a takeover bid from Barings Private Equity.
Nord Anglia, which runs schools in eastern Europe and the Far East, last month turned down a £180m bid from Barings. It said that it had reached agreement at 450p a share - £190m.
Nord was founded by Kevin McNeany, a former teacher, in 1972. He stepped back from the business in 2005.
Trucker TDG taken in tow by Laxey
Just a fortnight after a £230m, 290p-a-share takeover offer from rival Wincanton fell apart, trucking group TDG said today it is accepting an offer at 250p a share from Laxey Partners, the activity investment group that already owns 22% of the group.
Wincanton walked away after looking at TDG's books in May and June, during which time its own share price dived.
Sorrell 'misleading' in fight to take TNS
The boss of marketing group TNS laid into its predator WPP again today, declaring Sir Martin Sorrell's advertising giant had made 'misleading statements'.
Among those were WPP's claims that it needs more financial details from TNS to make a firm offer.
TNS chairman Donald Brydon, who wants it to merge with Germany's GfK, said WPP had seen just as much as GfK.
Most watched Money videos
- BMW meets Swarovski and releases BMW i7 Crystal Headlights Iconic Glow
- Blue Whale fund manager on the best of the Magnificent 7
- Skoda reveals Skoda Epiq as part of an all-electric car portfolio
- BMW's Vision Neue Klasse X unveils its sports activity vehicle future
- Tesla unveils new Model 3 Performance - it's the fastest ever!
- Mercedes has finally unveiled its new electric G-Class
- 'Now even better': Nissan Qashqai gets a facelift for 2024 version
- 2025 Aston Martin DBX707: More luxury but comes with a higher price
- Land Rover unveil newest all-electric Range Rover SUV
- Mail Online takes a tour of Gatwick's modern EV charging station
- Mini Cooper SE: The British icon gets an all-electric makeover
- Mini celebrates the release of brand new all-electric car Mini Aceman
- Digital marketing firm Mission Group snubs takeover offer...
- US owner of Boots steps up efforts to find a buyer for...
- Anglo American rejects rival BHP's £34bn second takeover bid
- Police not interested in shoplifting, says M&S as thefts...
- Anglo strikes out alone - but can it survive a bid...
- London estate agent known as 'Mr Super Prime' to star in...
- UK Government sells another chunk of NatWest shares
- Anglo American to restructure operations as it rejects...
- Will Nationwide pay out a £100 loyalty bonus again this...
- I repeatedly bail out my partner from his financial...
- Gamestop shares double as 'meme stock' social media...
- European-made electric car batteries could cut carbon...
- MARKET REPORT: FTSE falters despite UBS call to buy...
- BUSINESS LIVE: UK wage growth higher than forecast; Anglo...
- Heathrow takes fresh swipe at the tourist tax as it...
- Used car marketplace Cazoo looking for buyers as it nears...
- Taxpayer stake in NatWest falls below 27% as Treasury...
- Virgin Money UK warns of pressure on profits ahead of...