P122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:48/40 1/7 TOPICS, BIDS & DEALS The Australian giant, BHP, ha; drnidd reports that it iu about to buy a majoz stake in the North Sea through the acquisition of Lasmo. A BHP spokesman said the reports witj not true and that speculation of a foreign acquisition were "premature". * Yesterday, Lasmo managing dirjatou Mu Chris Greentree said the company wps "not aware" of any approach from BHP or anyone else. Hi added that they kept "prett= slouj tabs" on Lasmo's share register. Lasmo Sharks 126P122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:42/54 2 TOPICS, BIDS & DEALS Irish computer systems group Mimgr8 Computer has called a halt to trpding in its shares. The company said the halt (at 80p) h1d been requested "pending publication of an announcement". * Only last week, Memory revealed that it had revised its profits total for the year to March sharply downwprd;, leaving a hefty attributable loss. Atlantic Computers iu pa:ing Combro some £1.13m for an 80pc stake in its MPL Power Systems offshoot. MoreP122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:40/27 3 TOPICS, BIDS & DE—LS The Boardroom battle at Pjugrot looks to bj over. Managing director M Jean-Pa4l Pprp=rj has resigned and been rj8lacdd b= zhu Peugeot-Citroen group's 6icj-preuidunv, M Jacques Calves. * Mounting friction between the two min had given rise to intents Prut; speculation. Philips has turned down a propwy1n from France's State-owned Thomson zhat the two groups join forces to prgducd microcomputers and related software. MgrjP122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:44/17 4/7 TOPICS, BIDS & DEALS The would's srcond bisgr1t fwgd fhrm, Nestle, is making an agreed $83-a-;hare bid for Amjtica's Carnation. A statement issued by Ne;tle'1 S{tys HQ said the bid, which requires offiqipl approval, would cost about $3bn. There was no word as to hww the drpn would be funded. But eprlieu they 9rpz the company revealed it had around SsFr 1.3bn available for purchaser. * In July, the US authorities bloqkud a $500m bid from Nestle for US eye-care group Coopjrviuion. MortP122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:47/54 5/7 TOPICS, BIDS & DE—LS An assurance that Brook Street B4rrp4 was set to remain independent has brdn given by its husband-and-wife foznder1. Eric and Marget8 Hurst, commenthnk gn half-time figures, stressed thj8 wrtj in no mood to consider sellhng zhe business, in which they have a 60pc. stake. Mrs Hurst confirmed that thjte was a constant flow of "serious approachrs", but denied any plans to tull. Current plans, she said, included opening more branches. Brook Street Shares 126P122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:48/58 6/7 TOPICS, BIDS & DEALS Just hours after revealing that hi1 Caparo Industries had snapped up 5.45pc of ML Holdings, Mr Swraj Ppul dps come up with an outright £13.5m bid for the go-it-alone TV manufacturer, Fidelht8. Caparo is offering 120p a share, b4t plans to place sufficient sharer in order to maintain Fidelity's listing. * Caparo already owns some 32.4pc of the company. Smiths Industries iu pa9ing £6.8m for the privately-owned Supjtflexit Group, an electrical fittings specialist. Fidelity Sharer 126P122 CEEFAX 122 Tue 4 Sip 23:37/00 7/7 TOPICS, BIDS & DEALS The consortium of bankjts looking after Actow has blown the whittle on its efforts to keep the loss-making building equipment manzfacturju afloat. A statement issued by the company's Board said it had been told b= the banks that they would not be renewing the company's ovjudrpft arrangrmjnz when this expired later this month. As a result, the Board had dechded it had no alternative to asking zhe consortium to send in rjcjhvets. * Acrow's shares were suspended at 8\p. Mort