It is hard to imagine, much less find, a better exemplar of how capital gets mis-allocated in a bubble than British property agent Foxtons, whose stock was publicly listed this month.

Supermarket giant Tesco saw its share of the grocery market dip below 30% for the first time in nearly seven years as it struggled to compete with low-cost rivals, figures showed yesterday.

The Odeon and UCI cinema group is being lined up for a potential £1bn (€1.13bn) sale by its private equity owner Terra Firma, according to reports today.

Discount clothing retailer Matalan has drawn interest from at least five major buy-out firms in the opening stages of a £1.5bn (€1.7bn) auction, it was reported today.

Banking giant Barclays is in talks over a potential $10bn (€7.35bn) deal to sell its Barclays Global Investors asset management arm, it was reported today.

A gatecrasher to Barclays' £3bn (€3.37bn) deal to sell fund management business iShares could net the bank another £500m (€562.7m), it was reported today.

Speculation of a further round of state aid for the ailing banking sector saw blue-chip banks make strong advances on the London market today.

Royal Bank of Scotland posted gains of more than 6% today amid revived hopes of a sale of its insurance businesses.

Royal Bank of Scotland could abandon efforts to sell its UK insurance operations, it was reported today.

SPECULATION is mounting that Dublin-listed CRH, one of the world’s leading builders suppliers, is the front-runner to buy Xella, the building materials company being sold by German conglomerate Haniel.

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.

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.

Richard Branson was today said to be planning to merge gym chain Holmes Place with his own health club, Virgin Active.

THE ISEQ started strongly but lost its way in the afternoon, closing up 7.2 points at 7317.73.

Drinkers swapping traditional tipples for Bulmers and Magners cider ensured drinks firm C&C Group celebrated a summer of sales and profits growth today.

The owner of Pepsi cola was today reported to have entered the battle for ownership of the European drinks arm of Cadbury Schweppes.

British drinkers having their thirst quenched by Magners cider for the first time were today said to be behind an 8% rise in half-year revenues for maker C&C Group.

BARCHESTER Healthcare, the British nursing home group backed by John Magnier and JP McManus, is expected to be among the bidders today for the famous Priory clinic group.

Tyre maker Bridgestone was said to be in pole position today in the race to land Kwik-Fit, the £1bn (€1.5bn)-rated car parts and repair specialist.

PRIVATE equity firm BC Partners sold over a third of its stake in the Irish drinks and snacks firm C&C.

Food and drinks firm C&C Group today said profits had risen 6% despite bad weather and the public smoking ban.

DRINKS and snack food group C&C will be valued at approximately €800 million when it floats later this month.

Investors were today preparing to tuck into food and drinks manufacturer C&C Group when it makes its debut on the London market later this month.

Food and drinks giant C&C Group is to float on the Dublin and London stock exchanges this summer, it was announced today.

THE drinks and snack food group C&C is set to announce plans soon for a stock market listing this summer, according to reports yesterday.

IT hasn't been a good week exactly, what with Ansbacher, the swingeing CAP reform proposals and the prospect of Elan heading for the breakers' yard.