EasyJet Plc received a fresh offer from private equity firm Apollo Global Management for 715 pence a share that beats a rival proposal from Castlelake , a surprise twist in the takeover battle for the UK budget carrier that sets up a possible competition between the two US investment funds. Given that Apollo’s £5.7 billion ($7.7 billion) bid is superior, EasyJet is “no longer minded to recommend t...
EasyJet Plc received a fresh offer from private equity firm Apollo Global Management for 715 pence a share that beats a rival proposal from Castlelake , a surprise twist in the takeover battle for the UK budget carrier that sets up a possible competition between the two US investment funds. Given that Apollo’s £5.7 billion ($7.7 billion) bid is superior, EasyJet is “no longer minded to recommend the Castlelake proposal,” according to a statement on Friday. With regards to Apollo’s bid, “the financial terms of the proposed cash offer are at a level that it would be minded to recommend to EasyJet shareholders,” it said. The sudden arrival of Apollo as an interloper follows multiple rounds between EasyJet and Castlelake, which had continuously raised its bid to get talks going. EasyJet’s board finally gave in when the latest offer reached 650 pence, opening its books to Castlelake and granting the investor more time to weigh its next steps. “EasyJet management’s operational and commercial ambitions can be substantially accelerated via the access to incremental capital and longer-term business and strategic planning that a private company setting affords,” Apollo said. Apollo said that shareholders in the airline will have the option to roll their existing stock into a so-called stub equity alternative through which the Apollo funds would hold their investment in the airline. Apollo also said that it would seek to satisfy the necessary condition for overseas investors to control a European airline. Regulation requires carriers to be majority owned by a European entity, a hurdle that Castlelake had sought to overcome by bringing on board two Irish airline executives.
On Tuesday, the semiconductor-heavy Kospi Index in South Korea dropped 10% from all-time highs. At the same time, investors rotated to the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index which climbed more than 4% in a single day, its biggest advance since April 2025. Opening Trade guests discuss whether this signals an impending bear market, with rising inflation, tariff pass-through effects, and the possibili...
On Tuesday, the semiconductor-heavy Kospi Index in South Korea dropped 10% from all-time highs. At the same time, investors rotated to the Hang Seng China Enterprises Index which climbed more than 4% in a single day, its biggest advance since April 2025. Opening Trade guests discuss whether this signals an impending bear market, with rising inflation, tariff pass-through effects, and the possibility of central bank interest-rate hikes all adding to market risks. (Source: Bloomberg)
Germany's annual inflation rate slowed to 2.3% in June from 2.6% in May, confirming preliminary estimates and marking the lowest reading since February. On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.3% in June, in line with preliminary estimates. Goods inflation eased to 1.7% from 2.2%, reflecting softer energy price pressures. Energy inflation slowed to 3.4% from 6.6%, with motor fuel prices rising ...
Germany's annual inflation rate slowed to 2.3% in June from 2.6% in May, confirming preliminary estimates and marking the lowest reading since February. On a monthly basis, consumer prices fell 0.3% in June, in line with preliminary estimates. Goods inflation eased to 1.7% from 2.2%, reflecting softer energy price pressures. Energy inflation slowed to 3.4% from 6.6%, with motor fuel prices rising 11.3% Y/Y versus 18.0% in May and heating oil prices increasing 29.4% compared with 47.9%. More on Germany EWG: A Cautiously Optimistic Stance On German Equities Seems Sensible EUFN: European Financials Remain Attractively Valued Ahead Of Potential Rate Hikes European markets rebound, Germany's trade surplus widens Germany's May trade surplus widens as exports beat forecasts Seeking Alpha’s Quant Rating on iShares MSCI Germany ETF
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction The ECM sector has re-rated meaningfully as investors caught on to the structural role these operators play in AI infrastructure supply chains and the multi-year runway that follows. Plexus ( PLXS ) is a name we have been closely following in this space. One thing that separates it from Jabil, Sanmina, and Celestica is that Plexus does not have...
J Studios/DigitalVision via Getty Images Introduction The ECM sector has re-rated meaningfully as investors caught on to the structural role these operators play in AI infrastructure supply chains and the multi-year runway that follows. Plexus ( PLXS ) is a name we have been closely following in this space. One thing that separates it from Jabil, Sanmina, and Celestica is that Plexus does not have direct AI exposure. The company runs a highly disciplined, complex product portfolio spanning aerospace and defense, healthcare and life sciences, and industrial (including semi-cap). Nine months ago, the stock was trading at $136. Today, the stock trades at $270, reflecting a fundamental re-rating. That is 2x from in a year. PLXS Price Action (Seeking Alpha) Q2 was strong across the board. Revenue of $1.164 billion came in at +19% YoY and beat the $1.11B-$1.15B guidance range. Non-GAAP EPS of $2.05 topped the $1.80-$1.95 range meaningfully, driven by gross margin expansion to 10.2% and non-GAAP operating margin of 6.0%. Analyst targets have also moved up aggressively through H1. Stifel raised to $330 from $280. Needham from $285 to $310, and Raymond James pushed to $275 from $205. This article examines the customer momentum that is driving the bull case and the valuation question that keeps us on the sidelines despite strong execution. Sector Drivers: Semi-Cap, Defense, and The Data Center Adjacency Three drivers at the sector level are driving the FY26 growth outlook higher. Industrial semi-cap is the largest. Q2 FY26 revenue was up 12% sequentially, and Q3 guided to a low double-digit sequential increase, driven by share gains layered on top of surging market demand. Management has consistently called out semi-cap as the strongest of the industrial subsectors. On the Q2 call, the CFO highlighted an active data center power opportunity pipeline, which we see as Plexus' closest exposure to AI-related revenue. Industrial Sector Performance (Plexus) Aerospace and defense wa...
AM-C UAE telecoms operator e& Group on Friday said it would sell its entire stake in Vodafone ( VOD ) to a company owned by the family group of French telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel for $5.95B. E& will divest its entire holding of 16.21% stake in Vodafone for 112.5 pence per share, it said in a statement. The transaction will result in a net cash return of about $1.3B, the company noted. E& s...
AM-C UAE telecoms operator e& Group on Friday said it would sell its entire stake in Vodafone ( VOD ) to a company owned by the family group of French telecoms tycoon Xavier Niel for $5.95B. E& will divest its entire holding of 16.21% stake in Vodafone for 112.5 pence per share, it said in a statement. The transaction will result in a net cash return of about $1.3B, the company noted. E& said it would no longer exert control or influence Vodafone’s board or management team, adding that its board representative had stepped down as a non-executive director of Vodafone ( VOD ). More on Vodafone Group Vodafone Group Public Limited Company 2026 Q4 - Results - Earnings Call Presentation Vodafone: Business Turnaround Seems Now To Be Priced-In (Downgrade) Vodafone Group Public Limited Company (VOD) Q4 2026 Earnings Call Transcript VodafoneThree bids for TalkTalk consumer business - FT Europe's telecoms are dominating the foreign communication services' Quant rankings
From the Fanad peninsula in Ireland to the forested beaches of Finland, these are your favourite escapes without the fear of getting frazzled • Tell us about your favourite food festival – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher Saulkrasti’s long beaches and scented pine forests are an hour from Riga on the frequent local train. The forests come right down to the long, long sandy beach and the re...
From the Fanad peninsula in Ireland to the forested beaches of Finland, these are your favourite escapes without the fear of getting frazzled • Tell us about your favourite food festival – the best tip wins a £200 holiday voucher Saulkrasti’s long beaches and scented pine forests are an hour from Riga on the frequent local train. The forests come right down to the long, long sandy beach and the relaxing and well-marked trail takes you the 4km from Saulkrasti station through the trees to the big dune and blue river at Balta Kapa. We enjoyed a July picnic in the forest and occasional dips in the Mediterranean-warm Baltic, before returning happy to Riga. Bruce Continue reading...
People in Thornton-Cleveleys want answers on the impact of widespread contamination around the chemical plant “Everything I wanted was finally coming to fruition. A house, a change of job and getting married,” says Liz Hurst, looking out to sea on a hot evening in Blackpool. “But then all of a sudden, everything was put on hold.” Fifteen years ago, Hurst was diagnosed with kidney cancer aged 32. C...
People in Thornton-Cleveleys want answers on the impact of widespread contamination around the chemical plant “Everything I wanted was finally coming to fruition. A house, a change of job and getting married,” says Liz Hurst, looking out to sea on a hot evening in Blackpool. “But then all of a sudden, everything was put on hold.” Fifteen years ago, Hurst was diagnosed with kidney cancer aged 32. Continue reading...
Six-part series will explore the band’s years in Hamburg, including the overlooked influence of Harold Phillips In 1960, the Beatles arrived in the German port city of Hamburg. Inexperienced, keen and – in the case of George Harrison – underage, they were at the start of a two-year spell that would become a key part of Beatles lore, a time when the band honed their skills while entertaining rowdy ...
Six-part series will explore the band’s years in Hamburg, including the overlooked influence of Harold Phillips In 1960, the Beatles arrived in the German port city of Hamburg. Inexperienced, keen and – in the case of George Harrison – underage, they were at the start of a two-year spell that would become a key part of Beatles lore, a time when the band honed their skills while entertaining rowdy sailors. The Hamburg stint, during which the band played more than 250 gigs between 1960 and 1962, is the focus of a new BBC drama, Hamburg Days, which will tell the story of how the band were beaten into shape by performing near the notorious Reeperbahn. Continue reading...
The rapid spread of the virus has been intensified by misinformation and violence towards volunteers and treatment centres Nearly two months after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed an Ebola outbreak in one province, the virus is continuing to spread rapidly, reaching more parts of the country and infecting more people. According to government data from 8 July, 1,759 cases and 60...
The rapid spread of the virus has been intensified by misinformation and violence towards volunteers and treatment centres Nearly two months after the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) confirmed an Ebola outbreak in one province, the virus is continuing to spread rapidly, reaching more parts of the country and infecting more people. According to government data from 8 July, 1,759 cases and 600 deaths have been recorded. The virus has also spread to Uganda, where there have been 20 confirmed cases, including two deaths. Continue reading...
With the singer sporting an array of ties on stage, fans have been customising, repurposing and even creating whole garments from the office neckwear staple Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here When Harry Styles kicked off his Together, Together tour in Amsterdam in May, he bounded on to the stage in navy pleated trousers and a blue shirt, topped off with a colourful f...
With the singer sporting an array of ties on stage, fans have been customising, repurposing and even creating whole garments from the office neckwear staple Don’t get Fashion Statement delivered to your inbox? Sign up here When Harry Styles kicked off his Together, Together tour in Amsterdam in May, he bounded on to the stage in navy pleated trousers and a blue shirt, topped off with a colourful floral printed tie from Celine. Four days later, Styles paused mid-set at the same stadium to take in the crowd. “There’s a lot of ties in the audience tonight. I see you queens, I see you,” he said. Continue reading...
The actor and activist tells the story of her brutal childhood in the deep south with eloquence and defiance When Laverne Cox was eight years old and growing up in Mobile, Alabama, she saved up her pocket money and bought herself a fan decorated with Japanese geishas. The fan became her favourite plaything, a prop to be used while dancing in imaginary music videos or recreating scenes from Gone Wi...
The actor and activist tells the story of her brutal childhood in the deep south with eloquence and defiance When Laverne Cox was eight years old and growing up in Mobile, Alabama, she saved up her pocket money and bought herself a fan decorated with Japanese geishas. The fan became her favourite plaything, a prop to be used while dancing in imaginary music videos or recreating scenes from Gone With the Wind in which she cast herself as Scarlett O’Hara. “I lit up, animated, whenever that fan was in my hand,” she recalls in her memoir. But when Cox, who was raised as a boy, began fanning herself with it at school, her teacher, Mrs Ridgeway, yanked her furiously out of the classroom, paraded her and her new accessory in front of the other teachers, and then phoned her mother, Gloria. When Gloria came home that evening, she exploded with fury. She said Mrs Ridgeway had told her she too had a son who had been an effeminate child who was now living on the streets of New Orleans and wearing a dress. “You want to be in a dress on the streets in New Orleans?” shouted Gloria, who would habitually call Cox a “sissy” and other homophobic slurs. She then signed her up for conversion therapy, which duly failed. It did, however, reinforce the message that there was something deeply wrong with Cox and that she was ultimately unlovable. Three years later, she tried to kill herself. Continue reading...
Anya Taylor-Joy is looking to break away from her criminal past with one last career-crowning heist, while Will Ferrell stars in a fun new comedy as a washed-up golfer A suitcase full of money in a swanky Vegas hotel room. It’s a conventional way to start a thriller, but even if Lucky never threatens to shatter any paradigms it fulfils its edgy, twisty brief. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Lucky, a woma...
Anya Taylor-Joy is looking to break away from her criminal past with one last career-crowning heist, while Will Ferrell stars in a fun new comedy as a washed-up golfer A suitcase full of money in a swanky Vegas hotel room. It’s a conventional way to start a thriller, but even if Lucky never threatens to shatter any paradigms it fulfils its edgy, twisty brief. Anya Taylor-Joy stars as Lucky, a woman who thinks she’s pulled off a career-crowning heist with lover Cary (Drew Starkey), only to wake the following day with a belting hangover in an empty bed. Worse still, while the cash has gone, its original owners haven’t – and soon she has Annette Bening’s mob boss Priscilla on her tail as well as the Feds. Lucky doesn’t hold much back – the first episode is basically one long chase scene – but as long as you leave plausibility concerns at the door, you’ll have a blast. Apple TV, from Wednesday 15 July Continue reading...
China is increasingly being viewed by global investors as not only a growth opportunity but also a potential portfolio diversifier, as higher inflation, market volatility and changing correlations challenge traditional asset-allocation strategies, according to BlackRock’s global chief investment strategist. “China can provide exposure to different economic drivers,” Li Wei said at the asset manage...
China is increasingly being viewed by global investors as not only a growth opportunity but also a potential portfolio diversifier, as higher inflation, market volatility and changing correlations challenge traditional asset-allocation strategies, according to BlackRock’s global chief investment strategist. “China can provide exposure to different economic drivers,” Li Wei said at the asset manager’s 2026 Midyear Outlook in Hong Kong earlier this week. She added that Chinese assets, including...