COMPANY WATCH

0 Comments | Sunday Herald, The, Apr 6, 2008

BRITISH Energy shareholders will be waiting to see if rumours of a GBP9 billion bid from France's EDF turn out to be true. The Livingston-based nuclear energy company effectively went on the block when the government decided to sell its stake. Shares rose 7- per cent on Friday amid reports that Pierre Gadonneix, chief executive of EDF, had won backing from his board to launch a full takeover bid.

Shareholders will also want to see whether rumoured interest from RWE and E.ON of Germany and Spain's Iberdrola, owner of Scottish Power, comes to anything. Centrica, owner of British Gas, has said it is not interested in buying the whole company.