m&a

SMALL CAPS

THE LEADER

British Airways has identified about a dozen potential merger targets as the BA and Iberia tie-up aims to consolidate the global aviation industry.

Speculation of M&A in various sectors, as well as rising precious and base metals miners, drove the FTSE upwards by 1.5% to 5,303.72 points by 2.15pm.

Man Group has won overwhelming shareholder support for its $1.6bn (£1bn) bid for GLG Partners, and has made a senior appointment from GLG for the enlarged group.

Pimco's Ketish Pothalingam says increased M&A activity could end this year's sterling bond issuance drought.

UK GROWTH

Hedge fund Trafalgar Asset Managers has boosted a bet F&C Asset Management's shares will keep falling following its plan to acquire Thames River.

The manager of the £109m J.P. Morgan Mid Cap investment trust has significantly reduced the fund's gearing on concerns over the UK economic outlook.

UK GROWTH