As it happened: Stocks reach new record as investors shrug off Iran war fears Markets Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. It’s Friday morning and the FTSE 100 has opened into the green, following two consecutive days of record gains for the blue-chip index. London’s blue-chip index was up as high as 0.7 per cent in early trading to 10,971.88p, “The FTSE 100 tested new record highs on Friday morning as [...]
Private equity firms eye valuation gap as City falls to takeovers Markets The London Stock Exchange has seen a sharp uptick in takeover premiums this year as a deals spree from led by private equity firms and foreign buyers accelerates. The average price paid by acquirers relative to companies’ share prices has hit 45 per cent, according to data from AJ Bell. Foreign buyers account for 86 [...]
Finsbury lines up Games Workshop splurge using merger windfall Investing Nick Train’s Finsbury Income and Growth fund is preparing to launch a spending spree on Games Workshop shares after pocketing a windfall from a string of acquisitions in its portfolio. The FTSE 250 investment trust – which can trace its roots back over a century – unveiled plans to use both debt and returns from [...]
Takeovers aren’t the reason the London Stock Exchange is shrinking July 8, 2026 Takeovers like Schroders and Tate & Lyle grab the headlines but the far bigger problem for London is that there aren’t enough good companies arriving to replace them, says Henrik Persson There is a familiar account of London’s stock market malaise. UK listed companies are cheap and deeper-pocketed overseas buyers have noticed. Each new approach [...]
‘Sh*tloads to come’: London takeover spree set to accelerate June 29, 2026 At a gathering of some of London’s top bankers in Canada last week, the mood was one of uncertainty. On the one hand, London’s dealmakers are not in want of work. In the past two weeks alone Easyjet has opened the door to an approach from American private equity firm Castlelake, Ramsdens [...]
Intertek to quit FTSE 100 after agreeing £11bn EQT takeover June 18, 2026 FTSE 100 giant Intertek has agreed to an £11bn takeover by Swedish buyout firm EQT, triggering the latest high-profile departure from the London Stock Exchange. The testing and assurance company said on Thursday that it has agreed to the £60 per share offer, valuing the deal at £9.5bn, or £10.9bn including debt. The agreement seals [...]
City sounds alarm on £40bn foreign M&A offensive targeting ‘cheap’ UK firms May 15, 2026 A group of City grandees has sounded the alarm on the wave of foreign firms picking off rivals from London’s stock market, after a flurry of unsolicited offers took the combined value of UK companies poised to leave Britain’s ailing bourse to £43bn. Some 22 listed companies have already accepted or received bids that would [...]
Intertek to bow to pressure on £10bn private equity takeover May 13, 2026 FTSE 100 giant Intertek is poised to accept a £10bn takeover offer from a Swedish private equity firm after months of uncertainty, in what would be a huge blow to the London Stock Exchange. The testing and quality assurance firm said on Wednesday morning that it “would be minded” to recommend the latest offer from [...]
Nelson Peltz’s son calls for Intertek to engage with £10bn offer May 12, 2026 Matt Peltz, the son of billionaire activist investor Nelson Peltz, has called on FTSE 100 testing firm Intertek to accept the latest £10bn offer by a Swedish private equity firm, as investors clash over whether the board should sell up. The buyout firm submitted its fourth offer on Tuesday morning, which valued shares at £60 [...]
Investors urge FTSE-100 Intertek to resist takeover pressure May 10, 2026 Major shareholders in FTSE 100 giant Intertek are urging the firm to hold its nerve as a Swedish private equity firm circles. Investors in the quality assurance and product testing business who account for close to £300m of the firm’s value told Morning Wire it is undervalued by the latest offer, which stands at £8.9bn [...]