In The Times today: acerbic Alistair on top form; Helge Lund to head BP

It's a bit late in the day but if you have a copy of the The Times and are planning on having a quiet Friday night in then Alistair's Osborne's business comment column is worth a read. Here is a link if you haven't got a copy:

http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/columnists/alistairosborne/article4688797.ece

Qatar disposes of Hochtief stake; what next for the sovereign wealth fund?

The Qataris sold a slug of French construction company Vinci last week.

Tonight, the gulf state's sovereign wealth fund decided to offload 7 million shares in Hochtief, the German construction company.

Qatar sells Vinci stake; what next for the sovereign wealth fund?

This evening it emerged Qatar is selling 1.1pc of French construction company Vinci to raise around EURO 380 million - and the move is causing quite the frisson in London markets.

Why? Well, the Qataris own big stakes in Glencore and Volkswagen, so market participants are speculating the gas rich gulf country will use the cash from the Vinci sale to finance (potential?) equity fundraisings from both these beleaguered companies.

Back on Tip TV talking about Glencore, Imperial Tobacco, Radius Health, Imagination Technology and Eros International

Moose and Zak decided to get together to take me on this morning. Here is a link to today's show:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/finance/ma-roundup-rumours-surrounding-radius-glencore-to-see-a-takeover/

A late Sunday review

The papers couldn't get enough of Glencore this weekend. No surprise, I guess, given the commodity group's travails last week.

One story that did pique my interest was The Sunday Telegraph's front page item about how Glencore "would listen to offers for a takeover of the entire company". I'm not quite what to infer from the piece. Still, in case you missed it, here is a link:

Back on Tip TV talking about SAB Miller, Glencore and Radius Health

The highly amusing Zak Mir was back in the chair today for this morning's Tip TV session. In case you missed it, here is a link:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/finance/ma-outlook-ab-inbev-to-bid-for-sabmiller-glencore-to-go-private/

Back on Tip TV talking about Radius Health, Bwin and Blackberry

I might have been a bit irascible on Tip TV last week but Moose & Co invited me back for another session and I'm very grateful.

Here is a link to today's session:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/finance/ma-outlook-reducing-debt-positions-key-for-both-glencore-and-tesco/

The Rio line up

Here is an interesting snippet on the Rio Tinto/Glencore situation.

I hear from top sources that Rio Tinto has retained Simon Robey's M&A advisory boutique Robey Warshaw alongside its corporate brokers and other financial advisers to work on "strategic" matters. Undoubtedly, Robey Warshaw will be providing the Rio board with advice on how to defend themselves from Glasenberg and Glencore, which earlier this year made a multi-billion dollar takeover approach for its rival.

A man called Klein

I have been ruminating on last week's piece in the Companies section of the Financial Times on the uber rainmaker Michael Klein. In case you missed it, here is a link to the piece by the excellent Daniel Schafer: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/67a9233e-5dc2-11e4-897f-00144feabdc0.html#axzz3HeCYpzDL

Schafer unearthed some extremely interesting history and quotes about Klein, who hit the headlines for supposedly advising on the $41 billion merger of Glencore and Xstrata as a one man band. Nice work if you get it.

Back on Tip TV talking about GlenTinto, CSR and Microchip

Great to be invited back on Tip TV with hosts Moose and Zac.

Always a pleasure to chew the M&A market cud with these market veterans. Here is a link to today's show in case you missed it this morning: http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/catch-up-on-ma-synergy-healthcare-ma-movement-today-with-ben-harrington-betaville-blogspot-13-10-2014/

When "old" news becomes new news...

Hat tip to the Bloomberg M&A reporting team for smoking out Glencore's approach to Rio Tinto about a $160 billion merger.

For anybody who hasn't been following closely, Bloomberg revealed yesterday that a few weeks ago mining giant Glencore approached Chinalco, one of Rio Tinto's largest shareholders, to gauge the state-backed company's interest in whether it would like to see to two mining groups combine.

Aussie scoop: Evolution Mining said to be in talks to buy OZ Minerals for AUS$1.6bn

I've got an Australian deal exclusive for Betaville readers that like to keep an eye on things happening down under. 

Top sources down under tell me Evolution Mining, a listed Australian gold and silver mining company, has been holding advanced talks with OZ Minerals about buying the business for AUS$1.6 billion.