In three weeks’ time, the counting of votes will be under way. Twenty days out from polling day, here are my predictions on how each constituency might play out. Carlow-Kilkenny (5 seats) John McGuinness and Bobby Aylward of Fianna Fail and John Paul Phelan (FG) look safe. Then it’s between FG’s Pat Deering, FF’s Jennifer […]

(Reuters) – U.S. toolmaker Stanley Black & Decker Inc (SWK.N) is in talks to acquire Consolidated Aerospace Manufacturing LLC (CAM), in a bid to expand its offerings to the aerospace sector, people familiar with the matter said on Friday. The attempted deal illustrates how Stanley Black & Decker is seeking to diversify its business beyond […]

LONDON (Reuters) – Macquarie’s Green Investment Bank said it has entered into two long-term power purchase agreements with Eramet Norway to supply power to its Norwegian smelters from two wind farms. Eramet Norway, part of the French mining group Eramet (ERMT.PA), is a manufacturer of manganese alloys for the global steel industry. It has an […]

FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Condor, the airline that used to belong to Thomas Cook, has attracted interest from buyout groups Apollo (APO.N) and Greybull as well as Polish carrier LOT, which are expected to submit final bids next week, a person close to the matter said. Each of the bidders could tie up with some of […]

(Reuters) – Takeover target Caltex Australia (CTX.AX) has signed a confidentiality agreement with Alimentation Couche-Tard (ATDb.TO) that gives the Canadian firm access to select non-public information in the hope that it will raise its offer. The agreement announced on Thursday comes as interest in the Australian petrol pump and convenience store operator is building from […]

The biggest obstacle for Fine Gael in the forthcoming election will be to battle people’s perception of the party as having become out of touch after nearly a decade in power. Leo Varadkar attempted to strike a humble tone on Twitter yesterday as he tweeted a link to the party’s new campaign video, which heavily […]

(Reuters) – Bankrupt California power producer PG&E Corp (PCG.N) is nearing a deal with creditors that would entitle them to a mix of equity and new debt if they scrap their rival restructuring plan, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday, citing people familiar with the matter. Under the deal being negotiated by creditors led by Elliott Management […]

HONG KONG (Reuters) – Hong Kong’s markets watchdog lifted UBS’s (UBSG.S) ban on leading initial public offerings (IPOs) after 10 months, down from an initial one year, after a review of the bank’s enhanced governance processes, the regulator said on Tuesday. The Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) lifted the ban on UBS, put in place […]

(Reuters) – Driver Management Company LLC, an activist investor targeting U.S. banks, said on Monday it wanted Community Bankers Trust Corp (ESXB.O), the holding company for Virginia community bank Essex Bank, to sell itself. In an open letter to other Community Bankers shareholders reviewed by Reuters, Driver said it was worried the bank was losing […]

Despite the tragic shooting down of Ukrainian International Airlines Flight 752 near Tehran, the United States and Iran appear to have avoided an all-out war in the aftermath of the high-profile drone strike that killed Iranian major general Qasem Soleimani. Iran’s retaliatory missile strikes into Iraq did not cause any casualties and both sides are […]