Royal Bank of Scotland has sold its NCB stockbroking division in Ireland to management for undisclosed terms.... [more]

BHP Billington, one of the worlds largest mining groups, is preparing a bid for Drax, the UK's biggest power station. The coal fired power station is being auctioned off by creditors. The generator ... [more]

Cobham has signalled it is putting its Westwind semiconductor machinery unit up for sale as it announced plans to streamline its operations. Westwind is expected to lose about £500,000 on sales of ab... [more]

Alizyme, the biotechnology group, has effectively been put up for sale a week after it sealed a $42m licensing deal in Japan for its anti-obesity drug. Dr Richard Palmer, the groups chief executive, ... [more]

Scarlett Retail, owner of Allders department store group is in talks to aquire a stake in House of Fraser and may make a full scale takeover bid for its rival.... [more]

Tellings Golden Miller is to acquire the Dartford operations of Crystals Coaches, as part of a strategy to expand its bus and coach network in the south-east.... [more]

WT Foods has acquired Marston Valley Foods, the manufacturer of chilled ready meals, for undisclosed terms.... [more]

United Carlton, the Gateshead-based digital copying and printing company, has undergone a management buy-out for undisclosed terms, and is now planning to expand across the country.... [more]

Watershed Plastics of Durham has acquired HydroFlow Solutions, in order to expand its drainage equipment business into Ireland.... [more]

David Fabb Holdings' administrators have sold the Brockway Conveyors division in Stourbridge to an undisclosed buyer, securing 20 jobs.... [more]

Close Brothers Growth Capital is backing a £11m management buy-out at Walker Group, the operator of 13 bingo clubs in the Midlands and north.... [more]

Swiss Life is to sell its UK-based group income protection and critical illness division to UnumProvident of the US, with the loss of a significant number of the 250 jobs at its Liverpool office.... [more]

John Howitt Group is to sell its Channel Print offshore printing business to a management buy-out.... [more]

Eden Industries, the Aberdare-based shelving manufacturer with 200 staff, has undergone a £5m management buy-out backed by NMB-Heller.... [more]

Sovereign, the Manchester-based manufacturer of shower screens, has undergone a £5m management buy-out along with sister company Woodmet Anodising, and the new group will be called SW.... [more]

Dykes Naylor, the Nottingham-based architect, has undergone a management buy-out and the new company will be named DNA.... [more]

Hickson & Welch, the Castleford-based chemicals manufacturer with 300 staff, has undergone a £21m management buy-out backed by Dunedin Capital Partners.... [more]

Xenova has announced a £8.5m takeover bid for KS Biomedix, and expects to raise at least £9m in a share issue to fund the development of KSB's leading drug.... [more]

Corus plans to sell the bulk of its north American business after several years of disappointing profits from the region. The lossmaking Anglo-Dutch steelmaker plans to offload its North American dist... [more]

The luxury hotel group Hanover International has asked its financial adviser NM Rothschild to put the chain up for sale. Hanover runs 12 hotels and three conference and training centres. It has suff... [more]