Geoff Foster goes big!

I see Geoff Foster has gone big on New Year's eve.

The veteran market reporter at The Daily Mail reveals in his final column of the year that Vodafone and US cable giant Liberty Global are likely to pursue a £140 billion merger in 2016 after talks were rekindled in the last few weeks.

Back on Tip TV talking about Actelion, Diageo and Vodafone

Zak Mir, the man who knows all about the Basque country, interviewed me on Tip TV this morning. Here is a link to today's show:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/actelion-diageo-and-vodafone-the-weekend-review/

BOOM: Bloomberg reporting Liberty Global in talks with Vodafone about $200 billion plus merger - part 2

Apologies - I would have posted earlier but I have been out all day.

Anyway, I see Vodafone has responded to Bloomberg's story from last night about the FTSE 100 telecoms giant being in talks with Jon Malone's Liberty Global about a $200 billion plus merger.

BOOM: Bloomberg reporting Liberty Global in talks with Vodafone about $200 billion plus merger

Yes - Bloomberg is reporting tonight what I have written in the headline. Here is a link to the Bloomie story:

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-06-04/vodafone-said-to-discuss-options-including-a-merger-with-liberty

Vodafone, Vodafone - part 2

There appear to be some pretty divergent views within the financial media about what mega deal Vodafone is planning to do next.

Last Friday Bloomberg reported that Vodafone was looking at a $130 billion merger with Jon Malone's Liberty Global: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-28/vodafone-said-to-eye-takeover-of-malone-s-liberty-global.html

This morning, Christopher Williams of The Daily Telegraph seems to be reporting the exact opposite: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/newsbysector/mediatechnologyandtelecoms/telecoms/11270650/Vodafone-chief-denies-bid-for-Virgin-Media-owner-Liberty-Global.html

Vodafone, Vodafone

There appears to be battle between Bloomberg and the Financial Times to break stories about what mega-deal Vodafone might be about to do next.

The Financial Times reported an hour ago that: http://www.ft.com/fastft/243422

Livening up

If you are based in the UK and into deals, there are couple of interesting jackanories floating around the inter web this afternoon.

First off, the venerable Wall Street Journal is reporting that Anglo American is open to offers. Here is a link to the Journal's piece: http://online.wsj.com/articles/anglo-american-ceo-says-open-to-takeover-offers-1409664798

Parky on Betaville

Betaville has made it into Gary Parkinson's stock market report today as being the original source of the story behind China Mobile's interest in Vodafone.

Here is a link to the column in The Times: http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/business/markets/article4183597.ece

Back on Tip TV talking about InterMune, Vodafone, Orange and Alistair Osborne

I was invited back onto Tip TV today. Here is a link to today's clip:

http://www.tiptv.co.uk/archives/tip-tv-highlight-ben-harrington-15-08-2014/

One final pat on the back for Dixons Carphone on Tip TV

Great news! Carphone Warehouse and Dixons Retail have finally confirmed the details of their £3.8 billion merger in a statement today. Here is a link to the formal announcement:

http://www.investegate.co.uk/carphone-w-house-plc--cpw-/rns/recommended-all-share-merger/201405150700201637H/

A Chinese takeaway

Interesting to see the Financial Times report today that China Mobile may want to buy stakes in European telecoms companies. See the link: http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/1ffe8c84-9e20-11e3-95fe-00144feab7de.html#axzz2uLMyQZUz

A few weeks ago I wrote in the Mail on Sunday's excellent business section that China Mobile looked at buying a significant stake in Vodafone last Autumn.

Is SFR back on Vodafone's radar?

There is a peculiar theory (to be clear, this is just a rumour and not a genuine scoop like some of my previous posts) doing the rounds in the market. It goes something like this: Vodafone is interested in buying French telecoms company SFR back from Vivendi.