Wood Group (J) Share News (WG.)

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STOXX 600 up 0.1%

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European banks brace for earnings season

STOXX 600 up 0.1%

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STOXX hits 14-month high

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STOXX HITS 14-MONTH HIGH (0835 GMT)

TOP NEWS: John Wood jumps amid takeover talks with Apollo

(Alliance News) - John Wood Group PLC on Monday said it has decided to engage with Apollo Management Holdings LP to see if a firm takeover offer can be made by the private equity firm on the same financial terms as Apollo's last proposal.

LONDON MARKET OPEN: FTSE 250 lifted by M&A activity, Royal Mail deal

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London opened higher on Monday, with the large-cap FTSE 100 index boosted by commodity stocks and the mid-cap FTSE 250 lifted by prospective dealmaking.

LONDON BRIEFING: Possible offers for Network International, John Wood

(Alliance News) - Stock prices in London were called higher on Monday, following Asian equities into the green.

European futures edge higher

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EUROPEAN FUTURES EDGE HIGHER (0639 GMT)

Wood Group opens talks with Apollo on possible £1.6bn bid

(Sharecast News) - Shares in Wood Group surged on Monday after the oil and gas engineering firm said it had decided to start talks with US private equity group Apollo on a potential £1.66bn takeover.

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: HSBC lifts housebuilders; Peel cuts Britvic

(Alliance News) - The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Thursday morning and Wednesday:

IN BRIEF: John Wood notes possible offer by Apollo for share capital

John Wood Group PLC - Aberdeen, Scotland-based energy sector-focused engineering and consulting business - Notes announcement by Apollo Management Holding LP of a possible offer for the entire share capital of the company at a final price of 240 pence per share in cash. The offer represents a 59% premium to the closing price of 151p, and a 20% premium to the initial proposal submitted to Wood of 200p per share in cash. It follows news that Apollo's last offer of 237p was privately rejected by the board of Wood.

Apollo sweetens bid for Britain's Wood Group with $2.1 bln offer

Wood privately rejected fourth offer - Apollo

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Apollo makes final takeover offer for Wood Group at £1.66bn

(Sharecast News) - Private equity firm Apollo Global Management said on Tuesday that it has made a fifth and final takeover offer for engineering firm Wood Group at £1.66bn.

Berenberg downgrades Wood Group after outperformance

(Sharecast News) - Berenberg downgraded Wood Group on Friday to 'hold' from 'buy' following recent outperformance, as it lifted its price target to 200p from 165p due to "the improved outlook", but said near-term risks are somewhat balanced.

LONDON BROKER RATINGS: UBS likes Beazley; Berenberg cuts Wood Group

(Alliance News) - The following London-listed shares received analyst recommendations Friday morning and Thursday:

LONDON BRIEFING: UK avoids recession in 2022; house prices down 3%

(Alliance News) - Stocks in London were called to open flat on Friday, amid better-than-expected UK GDP figures.