Happy birthday Betaville
It's been just over a year since I kicked off Betaville, a cheeky blog that likes to break serious business stories, dig up stock market gossip and crack a few jokes, too...
A cheeky website about deals, dealmakers and anything else I find interesting. Edited by Ben Harrington. If you have a tip or want to discuss a story please feel free to email Betaville at ben@betaville.co.uk. 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.
It's been just over a year since I kicked off Betaville, a cheeky blog that likes to break serious business stories, dig up stock market gossip and crack a few jokes, too...
Here is something to do on a rainy Monday afternoon in mid February. Click on the link to watch me talk about M&A on Tip TV:
http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/mergers-and-acquisitions-2/..
Interesting piece by Reuters late on Friday evening about how US healthcare group Endo International is interested in buying Salix, a takeover target for FTSE 100-listed Shire. Here is a link:..
Bryce Elder, the stock market reporter over at the Financial Times, had an interesting snippet on Quindell in his market report today...
It sounds like the auction of Bonhams isn't going as smoothly as the ones carried out by the 200-year old auctioneer.
The owners of Bonhams hired Greenhill last year to look at "strategic options".
Since then, various parties - such as China's Poly Culture - have got into serious discussions about a deal only for it fall over at the final stages. ..
Nick "the Moose" Batsford invited back on Tip TV today. We talked about Smith & Nephew, Salix and, of course, Quindell. Click on the link to see today's clip:..
Bankers are clambering all over of this £4 billion Rexam takeover deal.
I hear Credit Suisse and Bank of America Merrill Lynch have just been "restricted" from publishing equity research on Rexam, which typically means these banks have been retained as advisers on the deal.
I guess it's no surprise that Credit Suisse and Bank of American Merrill Lynch have been restricted as they are corporate brokers to Rexam...
Many apologies to Oscar Williams Grut, the stock market reporter over at The Independent and Evening Standard...
Rexam shares are up almost 7pc this morning.
I suspect the stock is reacting to comments in Gary Parkinson's stock market report in The Times today.
Parky, a top hack, wrote that a couple of American companies - Crown and, separately, Ball - are looking the London-listed can manufacturer. Here is a link to Parky's report:..
Here is an interesting snippet on the Quindell situation.
I am reliably informed that Andrew Grech, the managing director of Slater & Gordon, is arriving in the UK tomorrow from down under.
Sources tell me he is coming over for a few days to have a "look" at Quindell's legal services unit and meet with the AIM-listed company's top executives...
The Alex cartoon strip in the The Daily Telegraph was once again highly amusing. Here is a link:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/alex/?cartoon=11385507&cc=11383320
Indeed, I can't help but wonder whether Mark Carney might go through a whole term as Governor of the Bank of England without ever overseeing a major change in UK interest rates.....
Quindell's share price has taken a pasting today, with the stock closing down 16pc to finish at around 70p...
Wow - the Qataris really have got an affinity for old Blighty!
Qatar Airways has just said it has bought a 9.9pc stake in our very own British Airways, also known as IAG.
The move comes after it emerged this week the Qatari sovereign wealth fund looks to have secured Canary Wharf owner Songbird Estates for £2.6 billion.
Here is a link to the Qatar Airways announcement:..
So, I think I said earlier in the week the Quindell takeover situation was likely to liven up. Well, it has livened up...
I just thought I would clarify a few things on the Quindell takeover situation following last week's shenanigans on Betaville...
It's a Monday, so I was invited back onto Tip TV to talk about the weekend's deal stories and other bits and pieces.
Here is a link to today's clip: http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/talk-on-phillip-greens-plans-iag-and-quindell/..
Huge hat tip to Oliver Shah over at The Sunday Times for his scoop about Sir Philip Green putting BHS on the market. Here is a link to Oliver's piece:..
Sorry this is a bit late in the day but I just thought I would put up Slater & Gordon's slightly odd confirmation to my story from a couple of days ago about how the Aussie group is in talks to buy Quindell's legal services division.
Here is a link to Slater & Gordon's statement:
http://www.asx.com.au/asxpdf/20150123/pdf/42w4d87sk12pfl.pdf..
Graham Ruddick has written a particularly good viewpoint piece in this morning's Telegraph.
Graham - a jolly nice chap, a former colleague and one of the best young hacks I have ever worked with - attempts to unravel what maverick Mike Ashley is up to by shuffling his shareholdings about in Sports Direct.
Here is a link a link to Graham's piece, which is well worth a read:..
Oh look - I see Quindell has just confirmed my story from last night. I have pasted the company's announcement below:..
[Disclaimer - the information on Betaville does not consitute any form of investment recommendation and is not intended to be relied upon by readers in making, or refraining from, any investment decisions].