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"We successfully launched TV and mobile handsets this summer and the growth in take-up by both existing and new customers underlines the scale of opportunity we see in these additional products. "With good trading momentum across the business, we have entered the final quarter strongly focused on execution. We are confident of delivering full-year results in line with our guidance, and are making real progress towards our medium term targets of 2% revenue growth and 25% [earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation] margin."

TalkTalk Telecom Group on Thursday said its customer base returned to growth for the first time in three years during the third quarter despite a fall in total revenues. The FTSE 250 firm, which provides pay television, telecommunications and internet access services, posted £415m in total revenues, down from £422m the previous year, driven by an ongoing fall in off-net trading. However, on-net revenues were up 5.8% year-on-year to £292m and corporate revenues grew 1.3% to £80m. The group's On-net average revenue per user climbed 1.7% to 325.47. The company saw an upsurge in clients including 80,000 TV subscribers along with an additional 35,000 new mobile customers and 22,000 fibre consumers. The total broadband customer base also increased by 10,000 during the quarter. "We have returned our total customer base to growth for the first time in three years - an important milestone on our journey to become a growing and more profitable business," Chief Executive Dido Harding said.

FTSE 250 listed European-focused industrial property specialist SEGRO has completed the disposal of the MPM site in Munich earlier than originally planned. The sale €65m sale (approximately 56m pounds), first announced on January 8th, was originally pencilled in a £53m and was expected to be completed in March. The MPM site is a fully-let 155,000 square metre engineering and manufacturing facility acquired by SEGRO in 2007. Speaking last month, the company said: "This is the first of the large non-strategic assets (identified as non-core at SEGRO's Investor Day in November 2011) to be sold in Continental Europe."

FTSE 250-listed polymer manufacturer Victrex has reported a two per cent rise in group sales volumes for the four months to January compared to the same period a year earlier. The group further reported that revenues for Invibiio were "broadly in line with the prior year". Anita Frew, Chairman of Victrex, commented: "We are pleased to announce that, despite the continuing global economic challenges, both of our business units are showing resilience in trading so far this year." She added: "Whilst early in the financial year, we remain confident of the potential for growth in both business units as the year progresses. The company remains in an excellent financial position with a healthy balance sheet, strong cash generation and no significant changes in its financial position since September 30th 2012."

Going foreward, Liechti said he expected a 10-15% dilution with pure profit offset slightly by cash and PIK [Price in Kind] interest amortisation. "Trading update suggests fiscal year 2012 fully diluted earnings per share at 58p versus our 58.1p which looks in line with concensus, so 'ok' with events profit as expected," he stated.

"We can now look forward to focusing on further developing UBM as a fast-growing and increasingly profitable events-led, marketing services and communications business." While the divestment represents a weight off UBM's shoulders, some questioned whether the price paid for the company could not have been negotiated higher. Steve Liechti, an analyst at Investec, said Delta had been sold for a low price. "The good news is it[Delta] is going, so management can focus on core Events/PRN [PR Newswires], but the bad news is at a low price and cash received is only £100m." He indicated that the price paid represented around 5.8 x fiscal year 2012 expected earnings before interest and tax (EBIT), saying: "This looks a disappointing number against our valuation of £180m, but there is an element of relief that the tramsaction has followed through.

FTSE 250-listed business publisher and events organiser UBM has reported the receipt of a binding offer from Electra Partners LLP to purchase a portfolio of its Data Services businesses, known as 'Delta', for 160m pounds, including a 40m pound vendor loan note. According to UBM, Delta represents the bulk of UBM's Data Services segment and includes its health, technology and IP and paper business units. In 2012, the group reported that the businesses generated revenue of £179.3m and adjusted operating profit of £27.4m. As of June 30th 2012, UBM reported that the businesses had gross assets of £295.5m. Commenting on the proposed sale of Delta, David Levin, Chief Executive Officer of UBM, said: "This transaction is a significant strategic step forward for UBM. By divesting Delta we simplify UBM's business, improve the quality of our earnings, enhance our underlying growth rates and remove the challenges inherent in the continued transition to digital data delivery.

A successful bid for the pay-TV operator would put Malone head-to-head with Murdoch. The two have been rivals and partners over the years with Malone accumulating an 18% stake in Murdoch's News Corp. before exchanging it for the media giant's holding in US satellite business DirectTV. However, Malone told the Financial Times in November 2011 he would not bid against Murdoch for BSkyB after the phone-hacking scandal forced News Corp. to drop its efforts to buy the entire stake of the company. "In all the transactions we have done with him he has had the greatest integrity, [so] I am not about to jump and give him a hard time," he said at the time. But he expressed his desire to be in the UK and said he believed cable companies would gain market share from satellite platforms as internet video services increase.

Virgin Media on Tuesday confirmed reports John Malone's Liberty Global has made a bid to take over the UK cable operator. Liberty has put in an offer for Britain's second biggest pay-TV business, which has a market value of £7.554bn. "Virgin Media confirms that it is in discussions with Liberty Global, a leading international cable company, concerning a possible transaction," Virgin said in a statement. "Any such transaction would be subject to regulatory and other conditions. A further announcement will be made in due course." Virgin was formed by the merger of cable groups Telewest and NTL and mobile operator Virgin Mobile. The company sells cable TV, telephony and broadband and competes with market leader BSkyB, part-owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.

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RBS analysts' viewAnalysts at Royal Bank of Scotland reported that a capital raising of the magnitude outlined by KPN would be positive for credit. "[It] would improve metrics enough for Moody's and S&P to take the ratings off review for downgrade or negative watch given their targets in their latest reports, although with such negative operating trends, this isn't guaranteed and we would expect the ratings to remain at least on negative outlook."

Dutch telecomunications company KPN has announced that it will increase capital by 4.0bn euros in order to cut debt that ballooned to 12.0bn euros after it made a large investment to acquire a high-speed mobile spectrum. The group posted a fourth-quarter loss of 160m as a result of high financing costs and a 314m impairment charge. A year earlier, the group had reported a 176m profit. Revenue fell by 3.0% to 3.27bn due to the poor macro-economic conditions and greater competition in the Dutch market. EBITDA (earnings before income tax and depreciation) fell by 15% to 1.12bn. "KPN's financial position has been impacted by rising debt levels combined with increased commercial investments. The 4.0bnn rights issue announced today and our earlier announcements of a lower dividend outlook will support our financial position in the coming years," said Chief Executive Eelco Blok.

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German insurance company Munich Re reported that its bottom line was hit in the fourth quarter by restructuring costs, a loss at the health division, a higher tax rate and costs generated by Superstorm 'Sandy'. However, in spite of the storm that hit the US north-east coast in October, natural catastrophe losses for the full year were much lower at �1.3bn, compared to �4.5bn last year. Munich Re saw fourth-quarter earnings fall by 24% to �480m, but the full-year profit surged to �3.2bn compared to �710m a year earlier. Premiums rose by more than 5.0% in 2012 to �52bn while operating earnings reached �5.4bn. "This very pleasing profit is founded on our rigorous risk management, disciplined underwriting policy and the realisation of profitable business opportunities," said Chief Financial Officer Joerg Schneider. "Our core business in insurance and reinsurance is healthy, while the claims burden from major losses was slightly below average

By contrast, car production in Japan rose 17.8% to 3.2m over the same three quarter period compared to the corresponding period in fiscal year 2012 while the North American business segment saw car production rise 49.1% to 1.2m over the same time frame. Total consolidated net revenues rose 26% to 16,227,106m Yen, while operating income rose 598% to 818,507m yen. Major factors contributing to the increase in operating income included the positive effects from marketing activities generating 660.0bn Yen and cost reduction efforts saving 320.0bn Yen.

Japanese car manufactuer Toyota has reported a slight increase in its European car production business segment for the nine months to December 31st, a financial update issued by the company on Tuesday has disclosed. European car production rose by 1.5% to 266,757 units in the first three quarters of fical year 2013 ending December 31st, compared to the corresponding period in the fiscal year 2012. Net revenues in Europe increased 2.1% to 1,517.9bn Yen over the same period while operating income increased by 149.3% over the corresponding timeframes. The increase in operating income was described as being mainly due to increases in both production volume and vehicle unit sales. Over this period, European car production represented the minority of global light vehicle manufacture at just 4.15% of total production, with the vast majority of automobiles being manufactured in Japan and North America.

Ryanair's shares were down 0.98% to €5.56 at 14:54.

Under the terms of the proposed agreement, a new entity would be set up, into which the €100m, liabilities and business assets would be transferred. Flybe would then acquire the entity. Flybe stated that the proposal had not yet been approved by its board and would be subject to Flybe shareholder approval. Previously, the European Commission has resisted Ryanair's bid to buy Aer Lingus, arguing that in doing so, Ryanair would create a monopoly on about 46 routes and would create antitrust issues on a further 20.

Ryanair's passenger numbers descended in January after the budget carrier grounded up to 80 airlines following the busy holiday season. The European company said it carried 4.35m customers last month, a 1.0% fall or 50,000 less than the previous year. It held 500,000 less passengers than a month earlier, or a 10% decline. In the year to this January, Ryanair had close to 80m passengers and a load factor of 82%. The news comes as the group bids to takeover Ireland's national flag carrier Aer Lingus from regional airline carrier Flybe. Flybe confirmed Tuesday that Ryanair agreed to pay €100m and transfer a number of aircraft and operating routes to Flybe as part of a package of concessions it has submitted to the European Commission.

Weir Group: Nomura raises target price from 1850p to 1950p and stays with its neutral rating.