Cordiant Communications has signalled that it would prefer to be bought by another company in the advertising sector rather than take part in restructuring or rescue. Rivals considering a bid include... [more]

Baugur of Iceland is preparing a bid for Hamleys that could value the group at up to £46.2m. The company operates four satellite stores in addition to its Regents Street store, 31 Bear factories and ... [more]

Mori, one of the worlds best known market reseach and polling groups, plans a trade sale expected to value the business ata £75m-£100m. The decision follows a strategic review by the Mori Board and 3... [more]

Rexam is to acquire Risdon Pharma Development, the supplier of plastic packaging to the pharmaceutical industry with factories in France and Germany, from Montagu Private Equity for £90m.... [more]

Done Bookmakers has acquired Pickwick Racing, the operator of betting shops in Tewkesbury, Cheltenham, Cirencester, Cardiff and Newport with 350 staff.... [more]

Spring Group is to acquire the UK and European IT recruitment operations of Best International Group for £7.5m, including offices in London, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester and Edinburgh.... [more]

Hayley Somerset Consulting has acquired RAP Consulting Engineers, the Nottingham-based mechanical and electrical engineering consultancy.... [more]

Leasedrive Holdings, the contract hire and vehicle rental company, has undergone a £45m management buy-out.... [more]

Epyx has acquired TransLease, the provider of electronic authorisation and invoice delivery systems to the automotive market, from Cap Gemini Ernst & Young for undisclosed terms.... [more]

Milton Hotels, the Scottish operator of four hotels, has been acquired by Portland Hotels for about £25m, and plans are being prepared to develop and re-brand the sites.... [more]

Maclay Murray & Spens has acquired Fenners, the London-based legal firm specialising in corporate finance, property and banking, which will involve the transfer of 18 staff.... [more]

Carphone Warehouse has acquired the German operations of Hutchison Telecommunications for £32m, as part of a strategy to enter the service provider business.... [more]

Total Bitumen has sold its road surface dressing contracting division to Road Maintenance Services for undisclosed terms.... [more]

There is speculation that Mohamed Al-Fayed is interested in selling Harrods. A due diligence document has been circulated to potential investors and acquirers of the store. However, Al-Fayed has den... [more]

Equitable Life, the troubled life assurance mutual, said that it was looking for buyers for part of its £2bn property portfolio. The group is shifting assets from property to bonds to protect its ins... [more]

Invensys, the engineering group, has sold Baan, its Netherlands based software subsidiary for £83m to Cerberus Capital Management and General Atlantic Partners. This sale has marked the start of the ... [more]

The government is about to release a draft bill that will pave the way for the sale of the Tote, the body that controls pool betting in British racing. The Tote owns 400 betting shops and a sale on t... [more]

Cordiant Communications shares have fallen after the advertising group said that it was considering offers for the company at below current share price. Other businesses being sold by Cordiant are Fi... [more]

Securicor has sold Securicor Information Systems, the Chippenham-based provider of IT consultancy services with more than 500 staff, to a management team backed by Kleinwort Capital for up to £30m.... [more]

British Airways has sold Deutsche BA, its German subsidiary, to Intro Verwaltungsgesellschaft for a nominal sum.... [more]