Babtie has acquired Kensall the chartered surveying and project management company and the staff will join Babtie's quantity surveying division... [more]

Villiers is to sell its engineering business for £0.7m in order to transform itself into an internet-based healthcare company called Ultrasis... [more]

Independent News & Media is to acquire Internet Ireland the internet service provider for undisclosed terms... [more]

QXL has acquired Jubii Auktion the Danish online auction business in a £6.6m deal... [more]

Sage has acquired Best the US supplier of back-office software for £272m in order to offer a more comprehensive package to small and medium-sized US companies... [more]

Wolstenholme Rink has acquired Nicoll Graphics the supplier of products to the printing industry for about £2m... [more]

British Telecom has launched a £1.5bn recommended takeover offer for Esat the Irish telecoms group... [more]

Rolfe & Nolan is to acquire Contac the Singapore-based supplier of derivatives software for up to £15m... [more]

Ruberoid the protective coatings group has accepted a £66m takeover bid from IKO Sales of Canada in order to gain access to more customers and a wider product range... [more]

Manpower is to acquire Elan Group the IT recruitment agency for £88m and will merge all its IT staffing operations across Europe under the Elan brand... [more]

Microcosm Communications the Bristol-based microchip designer is being acquired by Conexant of the US for £80m... [more]

Sage has acquired Hartley International the Bristol-based supplier of accountancy software for £2.5m... [more]

Cambridge Drug Discovery has merged with Cambridge Genetics in a £2.7m deal involving Cambridge University and the combined business will have 36 staff... [more]

Celltech has sold Rapigene its US-based gene analysis contract service to Qiagen for £7.3m... [more]

TT Group has acquired BI Technologies of the US from Astec International for £40m in order to increase its focus on electronic components... [more]

Compel is acquiring Pangaea the supplier of internet and multimedia services for up to £10m... [more]

Stoll Moss Theatres has sold its 10 London theatres to the Really Useful Group for about £85m and some of the venues may be sold on to other theatrical groups... [more]

Lovells the Newport-based chocolate confectionery company has been sold by NFF to a local businessman for £0.9m... [more]

Laird has completed the disposal of its printing and packaging operations with the sale of US-based Panel Prints to a management buy-out vehicle for £9.6m... [more]

Ferraris is to acquire Univak the manufacturer of components for pressure vessels for £5.7m... [more]