Subscription Notification
Please update your billing information
Your subscription will end shortly

British Airways weaker after open skies deal

The airline was the largest faller in early deals, with natural resources stocks showing gains against a lacklustre market

Pearson led the FTSE 100 risers, with shares up more than 4 per cent to reach a five-year high on renewed gossip that the publisher could be broken up by private equity.

However, dealers said there was no specific news and gave indication on where the rumour was coming from. They pinned the talk to news that Wolters Kluwer, its Dutch peer, was in exclusive talks to sell its education arm to private equity firm Bridgepoint Capital - easing fears that Pearson itself could make an offer.

There was also a positive read-through from that Wolters Kluwer had agreed a higher price than expected - reportedly more than 12 times operating profit. That put the assets of Pearson, the world’s largest educational publisher, in a