The Lex Column:
*Southfork in the road - Back when ‘Dallas’ ruled the airwaves, Big Oil was a racy mix of big hats, bigger hair and even bigger money. J.R. Ewing would have been horrified to think of his business becoming more like a dull old utility.
*Vivendi (VIV.L) - Is Vivendi in play or not? It has been approached twice this year but the French media and telecommunications conglomerate is a tricky target.
*Ahold - Did it jump or was it pushed? Pressed by activist shareholders, Ahold on Monday announced a swath of disposals and cost-cutting targets.
*Taiwan – Corruption allegations may be poised to claim another Asian leader. Chen Shui-bian, Taiwan’s president, is fighting for political survival following the indictment of his wife for allegedly misusing $450,000 of state funds.
*Four Seasons - Bill Gates and Saudi Prince Alwaleed bin Talal would both struggle to blow their wealth on lavish hotel bills. But they may have found another way to make a dent.
The Lombard Column:
*Private equity buyers must sell themselves better – Profit is the object, but not the sole benefit.
*Tortoises versus hares (Gaming stocks).
*Mules versus eagles (BlueBay).
Further news:
*Brussels steps back from confrontation with Turkey.
*Gates joins in $15-billion deal frenzy.
*Software bug hits electronic trade at LME.
*Fortune's wheel turns again for Ladbrokes (LAD.L).
*BP (BP.L) assessed life on a monetary scale.
*Speculation about potential buyers pushes Galiform (GFRM.L) to best close yet.
*Talk that Robert Tchenguiz has turned his attention to Wolverhampton & Dudley (WOLV.L).
*UK Coal’s (UKC.L) Brownfield Property Portfolio is fillip.
*Time Warner (TWX.L) stake rumours excite Sci Entertainment (SEG.L).
The Business Editor's Commentary:
*Default is not the only risk for buyouts (Private equity).
*Working at it (European Working Time Directive).
*Changing of the Seasons (Four Seasons).
The Tempus Column:
*Hold Whitbread (WTB.L).
*Sit tight on UK Coal (UKC.L).
*Hold Ladbrokes (LAD.L).
Further news:
*Murmurs that Johnson Service Group (JSG.L) is to dispose of its dry-cleaning division shortly.
*FSA warns of insider dealing risk in private equity deals.
*British pioneering biotech firm VetCell Bioscience looks to be first past the post in America.
*MySpace plans Japanese network.
*Unilever (ULVR.L) advance helps to take FTSE to 5-year high.
*Teesland (TLD.L) hits record as director’s buying of shares raises interest.
The Business Comment Column:
*Better the pachyderms listen now than when it's too late (Private equity).
*MPC needs to pause for thought (Interest rates).
The Questor Column:
*Hold Electrocomponents (ECM.L).
*Buy ToLuna (TOL.L).
The City Trader Column:
*Manoj Ladwa, derivatives broker at TradIndex takes a look at Yell Group (YELL.L).
Further news:
*Quick-footed bankers enjoy spoils of the bull market fight.
*On your Marks for Stuart Rose revolution (M&S (MKS.L)).
*Music sector occupies centre stage (EMI (EMI.L), HMV (HMV.L)).
*Travis Perkins (TPK.L) bid rumours lift Galiform (GFRM.L).
The Viewpoint Column:
*iSoft (IOT.L)/Sir Digby Jones: it goes with the territory I'm afraid.
*FSA's blind grope on the private equity market.
*Deep Water for SeaDragon Offshore.
Further news:
*Laird Group (LARD.L) hosting an analysts' trip to its Chinese electronic operations.
The Outlook Column:
*Private equity is a British success - it wouldn't pay for the FSA to regulate it out of existence.
*Executive pay: it just keeps on rising.
The Investment Column:
*Take profits at Electrocomponents (ECM.L).
*Hold St Ives (SIV.L).
*Buy ToLuna (TOL.L).
Further news:
*Factory stagnation not enough to stop rate rise this week.
*Warner Music's rumoured designs lift Sci Entertainment (SEG.L).
Further news:
*EMI (EMI.L) is top of the pops again.
*Rumours of a profits warning from Bridgewell (BWL.L).
*Keep an eye on Flightstore (FLG.L) - former market-maker Chris Potts and two investors from his previous shell Readybuy are to take control of Flightsore.
*An FSA study warns of an inevitable buyout collapse in private equity deals.
*Ryanair (RYA.L) admits defeat in battle for Aer Lingus (AERL.L).
*Software bug hits electronic trading at London Metal Exchange.
*BAE (BA.L) wins 20 orders worth $19.3-million from US army for training systems.
*Rolls-Royce (RR.L) signs defence services agreement with Serco (SRP.L).
*Sainbsury's (SBRY.L) close to reaching a deal to reimburse Farepak customers.
*Gala Coral is offering to buy the Tote in a deal that values it at over £400-million.
*Bill Gates and Prince Alwaleed team up with the head of Four Seasons to a £1.95-billion bid to take the Toronto-based hotel chain private.
*GlaxoSmithKline (GSK.L) announces a new delay in its experimental bowel treatment, Enterec.
*News Corporation and Softbank to launch Japanese MySpace.
*Starwood Capital appoints Whitbread (WTB.L) director as vice-president.
*Fidelity loses another high-profile fund manager, Graham Clapp.
*Lehman is to take a 4.99% stake in BlueBay Asset Management.
*Shell (RDSA.L) to develop 3 Brazilian oilfields.
*SBM Offshore wins Shell (RDSA.L) orders with total portfolio value of over $850-million.
*Peel Holdings has sold a substantial stake in its ports businesses, in a deal understood to value Peel Ports at about £1.8-billion.
*SR Pharma (SPA.L) places 20 -million shares at 190p raising £3.8-million.
*Kinross Gold acquires Bema Gold (BAU.L) for $3.1-billion.
*Rutley Euro Property seeks London listing with £200-million placing at 200p.
*WPP (WPP.L) buys Chinese marketing agency.
SOME ITEMS THAT COULD INFLUENCE SHARE PRICES
*The Dow gained 119.51-points to 12105.55, the Nasdaq added 35.16-points to 2365.95, while the S&P put on 15.48-points to close at 1379.78.
*MP’s seek land value tax to encourage housebuilding.
*Fraud losses from internet banking jumps 55% in the first six months of 2006 even though there was a fall in plastic card fraud.
*Gordon Brown launches £2.1-billion bond issue to vaccinate 500 million children.
*UK September manufacturing output unchanged from August; worse than expected.
*UK October new car registrations up 0.9% year-on-year.
*UK recruitment turnover in 2005/2006 highest on record.
*Republican party intensifies last-minute efforts to rally its supporters in the hope of defying widespread expectations of a strong Democratic showing in today's congressional mid-term elections.
*US Fed president Michael Moskow says a further rate rise may be necessary to fight inflation.
*Financial Services see rapid growth this year.
Compiled in association with HB PLC and WH Ireland Ltd
