Invensys adds 3.5% on renewed bid talk but company says it is not in discussions

Invensys is back in the bid spotlight just days after confirming speculation it had been in talks, but said these had now ended.

Those discussions involved US group Emerson Electric about a full takeover, as well as approaches from other unnamed groups about buying parts of the business.

Now new reports over the weekend suggested China South Locomotive - majority owned by the Chinese government - was in the early stages of planning a move for the UK rail signalling and process controls group. An Invensys spokesman repeated the line that it was not currently in any talks, but its shares are still 8p ahead at the moment at 230.7p.