Vodafone is mulling a potential takeover bid for struggling telecoms firm Cable & Wireless Worldwide, the mobile phone giant confirmed today.

Thomas the Tank Engine has moved in with Barbie, Fisher-Price and American Girl after Mattel agreed to buy HIT Entertainment, the firm that owns the iconic British brand, for US$680m (€490.6m).

American fashion label Tommy Hilfiger is to be bought by the owner of Calvin Klein in a deal worth €2.2bn, it was revealed today.

THE outlook for Anglo Irish Bank’s surviving as a standalone entity deteriorated further yesterday as its shares plunged about 28% for the second day in a row.

Buy-out firms are circling Britain’s biggest housebuilder Taylor Wimpey, it was reported today.

EUROPEAN private equity house Cinven has reportedly ended any interest it had in acquiring Irish pharmaceutical company Elan’s drug research arm, Elan Drug Technology (EDT), which is currently being hawked around the market for potential buyers.

The Co-op today hailed its return to the big league of food retailing thanks to a £1.6bn (€2bn) takeover of rival Somerfield.

Rumours of a potential £3bn (€3.9bn) private equity bid for ITV sent the broadcaster’s shares soaring today.

The break-up of the Emap media business looked set for completion today after the firm backed a £1bn (€1.4bn) offer for its trade magazines and exhibitions business.

Sainsbury’s shares plummeted by 21% today after its Qatari suitors pulled the plug on a potential £10.6bn (€15.2bn) bid in another punishing day on the London market.

Almost £2bn (€2.87bn) was wiped from the value of Sainsbury's today after the retailer said takeover talks with a Qatar-backed investment fund had ended.

Richard Branson's Virgin Group is today reported to be the latest suitor eyeing a move for crisis-hit Northern Rock.

Italian magazine publisher Mondadori, controlled by former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, is looking to snap up Emap’s consumer magazines arm, it emerged today.

Private equity firm Apax has made a £1.3bn (€2bn) approach for a major slice of magazines and radio group Emap, it was reported today.

The sale of New Look looked to have collapsed today after reports that the last remaining bidders had refused to meet the £1.8bn (€2.7bn) price-tag for the high street retailer.

BIDS for fashion retailer New Look, which employs about 300 people in Ireland, have reportedly been received from two of the world’s largest buy-out groups.

Healthcare retailer and pharmaceutical giant Alliance Boots is reportedly being eyed for a potential takeover by private equity firm Terra Firma in a move which could spark an all-out bidding war for the group, a report said today.

The British-based Apax investment fund has bought a majority stake in Israel’s agricultural produce firm, Tnuva, for more than $1bn (€761,800), Israeli media reported today.

The FTSE 100 Index has continued to plunge deeper into negative territory, closing down more than 100 points for the second day in a row.

Shares in London were under pressure for a second successive session today as investors continued to be shaken by global economic worries.

Supermarket giant Sainsbury is today said to be just days away from receiving an £11bn (€16.4bn) takeover offer from a private equity consortium.

Publishing company Guardian Media Group said today it was in talks with a trio of private equity bidders looking to buy a minority stake in its Trader Media Group business, which publishes Auto Trader.

Shares in Sainsbury’s staged a fresh surge today amid ongoing speculation about takeover interest in the supermarket chain.

Shares in H Samuel owner Signet slumped today as the market reacted to the decision of two private equity firms to opt against a joint bid for the jeweller.

Entrepreneur Gerald Ratner’s interest in buying the Ernest Jones and H Samuel jewellery businesses was under pressure from a familiar quarter today.

THE race for MFI’s retail business yesterday looks to have boiled down to a straight fight between two private equity firms.

Icelandic group Baugur was today unmasked as the investor behind the dawn raid on House of Fraser which sent shares in the department store group soaring to an eight-year high.

UK department store group House of Fraser shares sparked back to life today after a “dawn raid” for the company’s stock reignited speculation about a potential takeover.

MOBILE phone giant Vodafone has tried to draw a line under rumours of a boardroom rift after its chairman released a statement backing the group’s chief executive.

The new owners of Somerfield cut their losses on the Kwik Save chain by selling the brand and the majority of its stores today.

Department stores chain House of Fraser was said today to be on the shopping list of private equity firm Apax Partners after revealing a bid approach last week.

The new owners of Somerfield were today reported to have hoisted the for-sale sign above its loss-making Kwik Save chain.

Four months after it put itself up for sale, clothing company Tommy Hilfiger Corporation agreed to accept a $1.6bn (€1.3bn) or 16.80 dollars a share, cash bid from Apax Partners, a private investment company.

BSkyB moved to build up a potential war chest for acquisitions today after it confirmed plans for a £1bn (€1.46bn) bond issue.

BOOTS and Alliance UniChem were said today to be finalising the creation of a £7 billion (€10.3bn) pharmacy giant as fears grew that a deal could result in job losses.

Boots and Alliance UniChem were said today to be finalising the creation of a £7bn (€10.3bn) pharmacy giant as fears grew that a deal could result in job losses.

Two groups vying for control of UK supermarket chain Somerfield have overcome a key hurdle as they prepare bids worth £1bn (€1.46bn) plus, it was reported today.

Takeover target Somerfield was today urged by shareholders to walk away from a bid rather than accept a cut-price offer.

A key player in a consortium bidding for supermarket group Somerfield was today reported to be close to withdrawing from the fray.

US Media firm Time Warner and investment bank Goldman Sachs have linked with buyout firm Apax to stalk broadcaster ITV, the Mail on Sunday newspaper reported.

Woolworths unveiled a trio of senior appointments today as part of moves by the retailer to bring “added strength and expertise” to its boardroom.

Private equity groups are lining up takeover bids for the owner of DIY chain B&Q, it emerged today.

Retailers held the London market back today after the collapse of a potential bid for Woolworths and news of flat sales at Argos.

Disappointment at the collapse of a proposed bid for Woolworths reflected the mood of the rest of the London market today.