A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip, want to discuss a story or have a subscription enquiry please feel free to email Betaville at [email protected]. Betaville can also be reached at Whats App, Signal or Telegram. Betaville's Twitter handle is @bharringtonw11 and you can message me via Twitter with stories.
Foxtons founder gets busy with chalet renovations in Courchevel 1850
Loyal Betaville readers might have noticed I am back from my jaunt in the French Alps...
Another dust up between dealmakers - but this time on Twitter
ENRC sailed off into the sunset....
Whirlpool prepares takeover of Arsenal sponsor Indesit
American giant Whirlpool is closing in on a Euro 2.3 billion acquisition of Indesit, an Italian home appliances company that sponsors Arsenal Football Club.
According to a source familiar with the matter, Whirlpool has already approached Indesit's largest shareholder, Fineldo, about a takeover deal. Fineldo is the investment vehicle for the Merloni family, which founded Indesit in 1975...
Save the Rich - only in Courchevel 1850...
Loyal Betaville readers might have noticed my blogging has been a bit less busy this week...
Swiss posturing
Italian companies and their difficulty with the truth
Interesting to see Pirelli and Rosneft announce this morning the Russian gas giant has acquired a significant stake in the tyre group's holding company.
Back in January I came across a story about Rosneft and Goldman Sachs's private equity unit teaming up to back a management buy-out of Pirelli.
I checked the story out with Rosneft, Goldman Sachs (neither of whom commented) and Pirelli's spokesperson, who vehemently denied to the tale...
Why wrestling is important for Newcastle United
Here is a tale about a potential US deal that may have significant implications for Newcastle United Football Club.
Good sources tell me the American cable group AMC Networks has been sniffing around World Wrestling Entertainment Inc, the US-listed company behind those wrestling programmes, such as Raw and Smackdown...
Agnelli family said to be in talks to buy 20pc of Swiss Re
I think I might have landed another genuine scoop. Here it is:
I understand a trust controlled by Italy's Agnelli family has been holding talks with Swiss Re about buying a 20pc stake in the insurance giant worth up to 8bn Swiss Francs.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the Agnelli family trust is planning to buy the 20pc stake in Swiss Re by making a 'tender offer' to all shareholders with an agreement from the Swiss Re board...
ING moves closer to Euro 8 billion float of its insurance arm
I hear one of the largest flotations in Europe is getting close to lift off.
ING, which was bailed out by the Dutch government after the financial crisis, confirmed earlier this year it has already appointed JP Morgan, Morgan Stanley and, funnily enough, ING on a potential listing of its insurance business...
Another outstanding column from Parkinson
Gary Parkinson, stockmarket correspondent at The Times, has produced another excellent 'Trade Secrets' column this morning.
It's a piece that combines incredible writing with profound understanding of how the City's dealmaking machine works.
The column is really worth a read. Here is the link: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/columnists/article4027906.ece..
Metso under the spotlight
A Finnish company called Metso has caught my eye.
Metso shares were up 5pc yesterday and are up another 1.5pc today (readers should be aware the stock crashed at the beginning of the year).
There has been vague talk doing the rounds all week that there is "something going on" with Metso
- which supplies technology to resources companies - although none of my sources seem to know precisely what...
Aviva and its chief bottle washer
Mr Wilson also said the turnaround at the FTSE 100 insurer is 'intensifying'...
Hedgies and their love affair with Belsize Park continues....or not
What is it with top hedge fund managers and beautiful properties in Belsize Park?
I hear from knowledgeable sources this lovely mansion - http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-21869253.html - is being sold by one of London's most successful hedgies of the noughties credit boom.
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FT Alphaville lights up Reynolds Lorrilard $50bn merger story
Hat tip to the boys over at FT Alphaville for breaking the Reynolds American bid for Lorrilard story on Markets Live this morning...
OFT kicks off investigation into Guardian-backed fashion merger
Here is an interesting little story about a company backed by the Guardian Media Group.
I hear Top Right Group's acquisition of US fashion forecaster Stylesight is now being investigated by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT).
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AO.com's business card part 2
I have just managed to obtain John Roberts's business card thanks to a loyal Betaville reader.
Mr Roberts is the chief executive AO.com and just made a cool £86m from the float of his online white goods retailer (good for him, by the way).
It's not a big, clear photo but it's an image nonetheless.
Here you go:
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A Chinese takeaway
Interesting to see the Financial Times report today that China Mobile may want to buy stakes in European telecoms companies. See the link: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1ffe8c84-9e20-11e3-95fe-00144feab7de.html#axzz2uLMyQZUz..
Is SFR back on Vodafone's radar?
There is a peculiar theory (to be clear, this is just a rumour and not a genuine scoop like some of my previous posts) doing the rounds in the market. It goes something like this: Vodafone is interested in buying French telecoms company SFR back from Vivendi.
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