Thursday Papers: RPS acquires Boyd Exploration Consultants - bid news and gossip

Financial Times

* RPS, the Canadian gas and oil consultancy, on Wednesday revealed plans to acquire Boyd Exploration Consultants, which specialises in oil and gas and mining; RPS will pay up to C$13.9m in cash for the deal.

* Brazilian investment fund could take US food chain, Burger King, private again.

* India is extending a crackdown on BlackBerry to other e-mail and internet communications providers, including Skype and Google, a senior government official said.

* Wolfgang Schäuble, German finance minister, proclaimed “growth-friendly deficit reduction is possible” after the government passed on to parliament its four-year €80bn austerity package.

* Jimmy Choo appoints banks to advise on options.

* Construction group Laing O’Rourke sheds half it staff.

* Ex-Lehman chief, Dick Fuld, says bank was forced into bankruptcy; meanwhile, Lehman said it intends to use some of its cash to recapitalise two subsidiary banks to prepare them for sale.

* Spanish retailer Inditex starts website for clothing brand.

* Accident Exchange plans to go private after a refinancing that will significantly dilute existing shareholders.

Stephen Goldfield, a former hedge fund manager on Wednesday, was charged by the SEC with making a $14m profit based on inside information.

* Leading US hedge fund Chilton Investment has hired a star former Fidelity money manager, Frederic Gautier, as part of a drive to bolster its presence in Europe.