LONDON (AFX) - Here are the top stories on AFX News Aberdeen Asset buys Deutsche Bank Australian fund units for potential 61 mln stg
LONDON (AFX) - LONDON (AFX) - Aberdeen Asset Management PLC said it has agreed to buy Australian fund management businesses from Deutsche Bank for a maximum of 61 mln stg in cash.
Aberdeen said the acquisitions would be financed through a combination of its own cash and new debt, adding that there would be no impact on its earnings per share. Melrose sells McKechnie Aerospace to JLL Partners for 855.6 mln usd
LONDON (AFX) - Melrose PLC has sold McKechnie Aerospace, part of the acquired McKechnie Group, to a newly incorporated company controlled by JLL Partners for 855.6 mln usd.
JLL Partners will pay 850 mln usd in cash and assume 5.6 mln usd in debt in the deal, which Melrose said reflected the high quality nature of the business. TNK-BP to bid for 9.44 pct of Rosneft
MOSCOW (AFX) - TNK-BP will bid for a 9.44 pct stake in Russian state oil company Rosneft, which is up for sale as part of the auction next Tuesday of assets in bankrupt Yukos, a company spokesman said.
'We are interested in the assets and we expect to participate in the auction,' spokesman Peter Henshaw told Agence France-Presse. Enterprise FY pretax pre-ex up 19.5 pct; merger talks with 3i at advanced stage
LONDON (AFX) - Enterprise PLC posted a 19.5 pct increase in its full-year adjusted pretax profit, in line with expectations, and said its earlier announced discussions with 3i Investments PLC regarding a potential offer at 605 pence per share are now at an advanced stage.
Pretax profit before exceptional items came in at 35.5 mln stg in 2006, on sales which rose 21.7 pct to 642.9 mln stg. The company said most of this revenue growth was organic with significant contributions coming from the first nine months of joint venture which services Ministry of Defence contracts. John Lewis week to March 17 dept store sales rise 8.4 pct
LONDON (AFX) - John Lewis Partnership, the employee-owned retailer, said sales in the week to March 17 climbed 8.4 pct to 47.8 mln stg, amid strong demand for gifts bought for Mother's Day.
Sales at its chain of 183 Waitrose supermarkets increased 12.0 pct to 74.3 mln. Sainsbury pension trustees urge bidders to tackle 3 bln stg deficit - report
LONDON (AFX) - J Sainsbury PLC pension trustees have told the private equity consortium pursuing the supermarket chain it would have to tackle the 3 bln stg pension deficit to succeed in a takeover, the Financial Times has reported, citing a person close to the talks.
The newspaper said the trustees' desire for an up-front guarantee reflected concerns that a highly-leveraged private equity buyer would be unwilling to make contributions to the scheme. Their position is seen as potential stumbling block to any deal. Scottish & Newcastle to increase stake in China's Chongqing Brewery - report
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - Scottish & Newcastle plans to increase its stake in Chongqing Brewery Co Ltd, China Business News reported, citing sources.
The report did not give financial details. Royal Bank of Scotland names ex-Citigroup executive as head of US unit
LONDON (AFX) - Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC said it has appointed Ellen Alemany, a former senior executive at global banking giant Citigroup Inc, to run its US division as part of an effort to accelerate growth at the unit.
RBS said Alemany, formerly head of Transaction Services at Citigroup, will become chief executive of RBS America, overseeing all of RBS' US operations. Lawrence Fish, currently chief executive of Citizens, RBS' main US subsidiary, becomes chairman. RBoS names Ellen Alemany chief executive of American ops
LONDON (AFX) - Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC said it named Ellen Alemany chief executive of RBS America and that she will report to group chief executive Sir Fred Goodwin.
The company also named Lawrence Fish as RBS America's chairman. Clyde Process to raise 23 mln stg via share placing; shares resume trading
LONDON (AFX) - Clyde Process Solutions PLC said it plans to raise 23 mln stg by placing 21.9 mln shares, in line with its reverse takeover of Mac Equipment, and that its shares have resumed trading today following the publication of a new admission document.
The company, which in January agreed to buy MAC Equipment of the US in a reverse takeover for a nominal cash consideration and a refinancing package of 84.5 mln usd, also said it is planning a 1-for-50 share consolidation. Four companies set to bid for Pipex today - report
LONDON (AFX) - Four companies are today due to make indicative offers for broadband provider Pipex PLC, the Financial Times has reported, without citing sources.
BT PLC, Carphone Warehouse PLC, BSkyB PLC and Virgin Media are all expected to submit offers ahead of the deadline set by adviser UBS, it said. COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited