FTSE nonplussed as M&A activity gathers pace

Social housing firm Connaught has been saved from collapse by Morgan Sindall, a building group, which will buy the bulk of the business, preserving 2,500 jobs. Vodafone intends to sell its £33bn stake in US telecoms giant Verizon Wireless, The Telegraph reports. Vodafone's shares were up 0.53% to 160.3p a share this morning. Tour operator Thomas Cook is set to acquire acquire Turkey-focused German holiday firm Öger Tours GmbH in a €30m deal. Thomas Cook shares were down 0.93% or 1.8 points to 192.2p today. Meanwhile Standard Chartered bank is to buy a small and medium-sized enterpr...