There is not only a dearth of takeovers at present, there is a trend to abandon bids that have already been announced. Are bidders’ eyes proving bigger than their stomachs or have predators lost their nerve?
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Every UK household has more than £3,000 invested in Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds (LON:LLOY) shares, admitted UKFI, the government agency looking them for us, as it spelt out ways of selling them and the problems involved. So why not just give each household its shares?

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At last there is an official inquiry into how the banking crisis happened – but not into punishing those responsible or compensating those that suffered. It is something the government should consider in this year’s budget or next year’s general election.
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Coca-Cola is a mature product, if a sprightly one, but its purchase of a stake in Innocent suggests the UK smoothie business realises it is reaching maturity too.
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ITV describes its plan to merge with Channel 4 and Five as “blue sky” thinking. Well what does BSkyB think of it? Sky was blocked by the Competition Commission for a far smaller link with ITV.

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