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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Nick Fletcher

BG bid talk helps fire up FTSE

Leading shares have turned positive after a downbeat start, with a bit of bid speculation to liven things up.

That takeover favourite BG is back in the frame, with its shares up 27p to £12 on talk of possible interest from - once again - Exxon Mobil or India's Oil and Natural Gas Corporation, which appears to be on the lookout for overseas assets.

Traders were somewhat sceptical, especially of the revived Exxon suggestion - but they also pointed out that this week's rumours of a bid for transport group Arriva were quickly proved correct. Indeed this morning Deutsche Bahn has confirmed it is the potential acquirer of the UK bus and train group. Arriva is 19p higher at 696p with Nomura estimating a takeout price of at least 790p.

Overall the FTSE 100 has now picked up 5.84 points to 5650.47, while the FTSE 250 is 28.32 better at 10036.82.

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