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technology hardware France's state-backed strategic investment fund is to buy Areva's 11 per cent stake in computer group STMicroelectronics for [euro]695m ($920m), bringing the funds raised by the nuclear group [...]

support services Siemens is set to take an initial 15 per cent stake and a board seat in Atos Origin, the IT services group run by a former French finance [...]

General financial Nestle among interested bidders France's state-backed strategic investment fund is hoping to become a shareholder in Yoplait, as the pre-auction race for a 50 per cent stake in [...]

Electricity Move marks group's German withdrawal EDF insisted its international strategy was unchanged after announcing its withdrawal from Germany through the surprise sale of its politically controversial stake in the [...]

industrial engineering Alstom, the French turbine group, has been invited to consider taking a stake in Areva as part of the stateowned nuclear group's longawaited capital increase. The French government [...]

AEROSPACE & DEFENCE Jean-Paul Herteman, an engineer by training, is known to be a cautious man. So perhaps the chief executive of Safran, the French aero-engine and defence group, should [...]

Food producers The joint owners of Yoplait have rejected a [euro]1.4bn ($1.9bn) takeover bid for one of the world's best-known yoghurt brands from French private dairy company Lactalis. French private [...]

Aerospace French watchdog's deadline on Zodiac Safran will be forced to end the uncertainty over a bid for aerospace supplier Zodiac today after France's stock market regulator took the rare [...]

Interview Patrick Kron Alstom chief executive Reliance on mature European and US markets is a source of concern, writes Peggy Hollinger Patrick Kron, chief executive of France's Alstom, likes to [...]

ELECTRICITY Constellation Energy of the US has rebuffed an attempt by France's EDF to resolve their dispute over a put option that would give the US group the right to [...]

banks A battle is shaping up between France's La Poste and the financial institution about to become its second-biggest shareholder over whether the postal services and banking group should join [...]

travel & leisure Club Med is hoping to woo more of China's upwardly mobile travellers to its holiday villages after Fosun Group, China's largest non-state company, agreed to buy a [...]

MEDIA Guy Wyser-Pratte, the veteran New York activist who has led assaults on a number of British, French and German companies over the past 20 years, is targeting a seat [...]

ELECTRICITY French nuclear group buys start-up Ausra is a leader in thermal technology Areva is looking to the sun to fuel its ambitions beyond atomic energy after acquiring a US [...]

Veolia, the French water, waste and energy services group, has dropped plans to sell a 49 per cent stake in its UK water division after rejecting bids from Blackstone and [...]

Bombardier, the Canadian train and aircraft maker, confirmed yesterday that SNCF, the French rail group, had chosen it as the preferred bidder for a contract to supply between 80 and [...]

Interview Christine Lagarde French finance minister Some institutions have become too powerful in a shrinking banking market, she tells Lionel Barber and Peggy Hollinger France has called on global regulators [...]

ELECTRICITY EDF is hoping to finalise its $4.5bn deal with Constellation Energy of the US as early as this week in a move that could prevent any attempt by the [...]

ELECTRICITY French group takes Constellation stake Domestic pressure over foreign push EDF is hoping to finalise its $4.5bn deal with Constellation Energy of the US as early as this week [...]

electricity Government looks at European focus Constellation deal beset by delays EDF, the French nuclear power operator, faces pressure from the government to abandon its US foray, where regulatory difficulties [...]

EDF, the French state-controlled nuclear operator, yesterday launched the sale of its regulated electricity network in the UK, which distributes power to 7.9m homes in the south-east and east of [...]

travel & leisure Move in line with investors' wishes Hotels unit suffers 11.4% drop in sales Accor jettisoned years of opposition to a break-up yesterday by announcing plans to study [...]

Banks Natixis, the troubled French investment bank, has been thrown a lifeline by its parent company BPCE, in a move that could help it avoid government aid and pave the [...]

Banks Natixis, the troubled French investment bank, has been thrown a lifeline by its parent company BPCE, in a move that could help it avoid government aid and pave the [...]

eLECTRICITY Anne Lauvergeon, chief executive of Areva, yesterday declared an end to years of uncertainty over the future for France's nuclear champion, as the state-owned group unveiled plans to raise [...]

News analysis The big investments necessary after recent buys mean record debt levels, writes Peggy Hollinger The ink had hardly dried yesterday on EDF's deal to sell a 20 per [...]

Debt burden The ink had hardly dried yesterday on EDF's deal to sell a 20 per cent stake in British Energy to Centrica than Pierre Gadonneix, the French group's chief [...]

Gadonneix says more new investors 'possible' Centrica takes 20% of recently acquired group EDF is willing to sell further stakes in its recently acquired British Energy business to outside investors [...]

Centrica purchases shares at a discount UK group cedes control of SPE EDF yesterday sold a 20 per cent stake in British Energy to Centrica of the UK, in a [...]

ELECTRICITY EDF was last night set to announce the sale of a 20 per cent stake in British Energy to Centricain a deal that would value the French group's recently [...]

general industrials Patrick Kron, Alstom chief executive, yesterday conceded that his dream of merging the trains to turbines group with nuclear company Areva appeared to be receding, but staked his [...]

Power distribution business faces disposal Push to cut debt built up after acquisitions EDF, France's state-controlled utility, is weighing the benefits of selling its regulated electricity distribution business in the [...]

ELECTRICITY Centrica urged not to overpay for stake Price decreases lead to fall in value Centrica and EDF of France are at loggerheads over the planned sale of a 25 [...]

ELECTRICITY British Energy deal price causes rift Electricity revenues fall worries investors Centrica of the UK and EDF of France are at loggerheads over the planned sale of a 25 [...]

Paris is looking at opening the share capital of Areva, the French state-owned nuclear champion, to Middle Eastern investment funds in a bid to reinforce its political influence and the [...]

Paris is looking at opening the share capital of Areva, the French state-owned nuclear champion, to Middle Eastern investment funds in a bid to reinforce its political influence and the [...]

Paris weighs up share sale to sovereign funds Potential for political and business benefits Paris is looking at opening up the share capital of Areva, the French state-owned nuclear champion, [...]

electricity GDF Suez yesterday postponed profit targets, accelerated cost cuts and cancelled planned share buy-backs as it prepared for a tough year ahead. However, Gerard Mestrallet, executive chairman of the [...]

banks News analysis Caisse d'Epargne and Banque Populaire put on a brave face, says Peggy Hollinger When France's two biggest mutuals today launch their long-awaited merger to create the country's [...]

France's strategic investment fund, launched in October by Nicolas Sarkozy, the president, to bolster the country's industry and protect it from foreign predators, will today take a stake in the [...]

Burden inflated by 2008 acquisitions Group hit by move on industrial tariffs EDF is putting [euro]5bn in assets up for sale as debt approaches historic highs and as the economic [...]

Burden inflated by 2008 acquisitions Group hit by move on industrial tariffs EDF is putting [euro]5bn ($6.4bn) in assets up for sale as debt approaches historic highs and as the [...]

Thomson is in discussions with bankers after another difficult year will leave the media services group in breach of debt covenants, jeopardising the future of a company that was once [...]

MEDIA Thomsonis in discussions with bankers after another difficult year will leave the media services group in breach of debt covenants, jeopardising the future of a company that was once [...]

electricity Takeover of British Energy finalised First EPR deadline set for 2017 The British government must declare a national need for new nuclear power stations by the end of this [...]

ELECTRICITY French group gives policy deadline Takeover of British Energy finalised Construction of new nuclear power stations in Britain will be delayed unless the government acts to streamline its planning [...]

electricity Takeover of British Energy completed First EPR deadline set for 2017 The British government must declare a national need for new nuclear power stations by the end of this [...]

ELECTRICITY Brussels approves [pounds sterling]12.5bn bid Centrica hopes to take 25% stake Centrica, owner of British Gas, hopes to agree a deal by the end of next month to take [...]

EDF of France has cleared the final hurdle for its most ambitious acquisition, after the European Commission gave its approval for the [euro]15bn ($21bn) takeover of British Energy, subject to [...]

UTILITIES Constellation opens door to French Talks expected to start immediately Warren Buffet's $4.7bn bid for Constellation Energy was dealt a blow yesterday as directors of the US energy group [...]