Sector movers: Renewed AT&T bid hopes at Vodafone lift telecoms

Renewed hopes of a potential bid by AT&T for Vodafone were giving the mobile telecoms sector a boost on Friday.Vodafone shares were up 1.4% at 205.35p in afternoon trade on the back of hopes that AT&T, which was rumoured to be considering an offer earlier in the year for the mobile phone group, will return to the table and make a proposal.According to the Daily Mail, there is speculation that advisers to the US telecoms giant are working on a cash bid of over 300p a share. Based on Vodafone's current market cap, a 300p-a-share valuation would equate to an offer of just under £80bn.The UK takeover code means that AT&T, which ruled itself out as a bidder in January, could not make an offer for 30% or more of Vodafone for six months - a 'cooling off' period that has now ended.AT&T has been free to revisit the potential deal since late July and the recent weak performance of Vodafone's shares has now prompted its board to begin working on a bid, the Daily Mail said.What's more, the paper also said that Vodafone has "another heavyweight admirer" in the shape of China Mobile, which could be looking to buy a stake of up to 20%.Other stocks in the telecoms sectors including Mobile Streams, Talktalk, BT Group and Cable & Wireless Communications were also making gains on Friday.Top performing sectors so far todayMobile Telecommunications 4,613.99 +1.11%Household Goods & Home Construction 12,000.52 +0.86%Banks 4,538.60 +0.79%Food & Drug Retailers 3,350.01 +0.72%Industrial Transportation 2,822.84 +0.53%Bottom performing sectors so far todayHealth Care Equipment & Services 5,883.62 -1.36%Electricity 9,541.26 -1.04%Construction & Materials 3,906.39 -0.83%Mining 17,661.87 -0.65%Aerospace and Defence 4,884.39 -0.62%BC