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United Kingdom's Dixons Group PLC, which sells electrical products, will acquire Norways Elkjop ASA for 702.2 million in Euro dollars. The Dixons deal creates stronger competition for rival Kingfisher PLC.

Storehouse PLC is planning to split its Mothercare and BhS chains. The move signals the beginning of the breakup of Storehouse, which will be concluded by 2001.

Marks & Spencer PLC announced the retirements of two of its most senior directors. Fifty-seven year-old Lord Stone will retire as Marks's clothing business director in the UK. James Benfield will also retire, although his departure came as more of a surprise than Lord Stone's. Lord Stone is said to be planning to spend more time to the House of Lords, of which he is a working peer.

Selfridges PLC posted an improvement in its pretax profits for the first-half of 1999. The company, benefiting from a seven-year refurbishment of its London flagship store, posted 8.3 million pound sterling (12.8 million euros) in pretax profits for the six-month period ending on July 31, 1999. During the same period in 1998, Selfridges posted 1.9 million pound sterling in pretax profits.

Sir Geoggrey Mulcahy, the chief executive officer of Kingfisher PLC, is expected to introduce a pan-European expansion strategy. The strategy comes on th heels of the company's unsuccessful bid to acquire Asda Group. Kingfisher's strategy is expected to be a major factor in its results for the first-half of 1999. The company is expected to post 245 million pound sterling (382.8 million euros) to 255 million pound sterling in pretax profits for the period.

Hilton Group PLC saw its share value increase by 2.4% following its announcement of higher profits. Hilton shares rose 5.75 pence in value after the company posted 127.5 million pound sterling in pretax profits before exceptional items for the first-half of 1999. This was a 3% improvement over the year-before period. Hilton posted 123.7 million pound sterling in profits during the same period in 1998.

Aggreko PLC posted strong earnings for the first-half of 1999. The company also said that it was in an excellent position to take advantage of the industrial market's constant demand of electricity. This was due to its growing presence worldwide. Aggreko is a generator-hire specialist based in the UK. The company posted an improvement of 28% in pretax profits for the period to 16.5 million pound sterling (25 million euros).

Meyer International PLC has reached an agreement to acquire Graham Group PLC for 269 million pound sterling (404.6 million euros). The deal represents the ongoing consolidation taking place within the timber and building supplies marketplace. The transaction is a cash-and-shares agreement. Graham will be valued at 192.4 pence per share in the deal.

Boots PLC 'like-for-like' sales for the month of June 1999 increased 4.1%. The improvement in sales comes after a period of slower sales for the company. Boots experienced a 'moderate' April and a 'poor' May. It is now rebounding for the month of July. Boots' like-for-like sales during the first quarter of 1999 increased by 0.9%. New space raised total growth to 3.7%. The group's overall sales increased 3.7% over the same period in 1998.

Boots Co. posted a 1.3% rise in its pretax profits for the 1998 year. Boots reported 560.6 million pound sterling (869.3 million euros) in pretax profits before exceptional charges. The figures were higher than what most analysts had predicted. Boots is the largest retail pharmacy chain in Great Britain. The company also said it would downsize jobs in order to reduce costs.

Debenhams PLC posted a 3% rise in its pretax profits for the six-month period ending on February 27, 1999. The company's profits were higher than what analysts had predicted. Debenhams is a department store chain based in the UK. The company's profits rose to 79.4 million pound sterling ($127.9 million) for the first half of the year. During the same period in 1998, Debenhams posted 77.1 million pound sterling.

Booker PLC, a food wholesaler based in the UK, said that it has reached a financing agreement with its banks. The agreement will last for two years. Booker has approximately 422 million pound sterling ($680.9 million) in debts following its purchase of Nurdin & Peacock PLC in 1996. The firm has received committed loan facilities from its banking syndicate and US financiers until the end of 2001.

IMI PLC posted a 3.9% rise in its profits for the 1998 year. The company's profits reached 152.2 million ($244.5 million) for the 1998 year, before tax and exceptional items. In 1997, IMI posted 146.5 million pound sterling. Analysts had predicted that the company would post between 148 million pound sterling and 154 million pound sterling for the year. IMI is an engineering firm based in the UK.

Cookson Group PLC said it is planning to downsize up to 700 jobs in order to reduce costs. The strength of the British pound, the Asian economic crisis, and the struggling electronics industry have hurt the company over the last 18 months. Cookson, a materials-technology group, stated that it will downsize jobs in all of its operations. The company will also either be closing or downsizing up to 30 plants.

Rebus Group PLC announced that it has reached an agreement to be acquired by investment vehicle based in Bermuda. The vehicle is backed by Warburg, Pincus and General Atlantic Partners. Under the cash bid, Rebus will be valued at 171.9 million pound sterling ($280.5 million). This comes out to 182 pence per share. Rebus is the most recent small firm to go private as the UK's small-capitalization shares show weakness.

United Kingdom retail stores giant Sears PLC, sells its credit card business Creation Financial Services to French financial services company Cofinoga. The deal is worth $229.9 million. Cofinoga's bid is being financed by France's commercial bank Banque Nationale de Paris.

Booker PLC CEO Stuart Rose confirms the existence of worsening financial problems in the food wholesaler. Earnings in the company has been battered by lower trading in its core cash-and-carry business and food services as well as the costs of bringing a national distribution network to the market. Booker, which has a net debt of about 275 million pounds sterling, even told its banks that it may not deliver on some commitments because of the gravity of its financial situation. The company is planning to improve its profit performance through such moves as cost-reduction and the sale of several divisions to concentrate on its wholesale and foodservice operations.

Arcadia Group PLC of the UK, which is part of the Burton retailing group, posted a 19% increase in pretax profits for the fiscal year to surpass the performance of its sector competitors despite dull consumer activity in the UK retail sector. Arcadia Group hiked profit before tax and exceptional items to 81.1 million sterling pounds or $137.6 million for the year ending August 29, 1998. Its retail sales improved to 1.42 billion sterling pounds from just 1.33 billion while boosting its trading margin to 5.8% from just 5.4%.

Marks and Spencer PLC, a retail chain based the UK, will not pursue its expansion plans in Europe as demand and sales declined in the global market. Marks & Spencer, which previously planned to operate a total 60 stores in Europe, announced that it will not pursue its plans just as yet but will retain its 42 store operations. Reportedly, the delay is part of its cost cutting strategies despite no apparent significant moves are being launched according to analysts. The company's share price dropped by two pence to 440 pence or $7.51 per share.

B&Q is permitted by its parent firm, Kingfisher PLC, to consolidate its operations with France-based Castorama Dubois Investissements in a share-exchange deal that will establish the biggest home improvement chain in Europe. The to-be-formed company is set to have annual sales worth approximately 4 billion pounds sterling ($6.79 billion), along with combined operating profits worth 262 million pounds sterling and a 4.5 billion pounds sterling stock market. Industry analysts commend the combination as earnings-enhancing for both retailers.

London, UK-based Dewe Rogerson employees are awaiting windfall after Incepta Group PLC's takeover for 24.4 million pounds sterling in cash and shares. Incepta is the parent of Dewe Rogerson's rival, Citigate Communications Group. Around 750 pounds sterling will be given to all full-time Dewe Rogerson workers, while shares of more senior staff will range from below 50,000 pounds sterling to an upper limit of around 300,000 pounds sterling. Incepta will integrate Dewe Rogerson with Citigate to form the dominant player in the public-relations, advertising and publishing industries.

Cooper Industries Inc. is offering to acquire TLG PLC, a UK lighting products company, for 321 million pounds sterling. The acquisition will make the company a dominant player in lighting fixtures worldwide. Meanwhile, the company's offer could spur a counter bid from industrial group Wassall PLC, which is one of TLG's largest individual shareholders. Wassall is currently studying its options regarding its TLG stake. Although industry analysts doubt that Wassall may make a counteroffer for TLG, they said that the company might try to persuade Cooper to raise its offer.

Yorkshire Water PLC intends to combine its liquid and dry waste management operations with Waste Recycling Group PLC via a share-exchange merger to produce a new company which is worth around 416 million sterling pounds or $672.9 million. This new industry player would post about 100 million sterling pounds in sales per year. Yorkshire Environmental Global Waste Management is worth around 191.4 million sterling pounds based on the merger agreement. The alliance is expected to compete against Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux SA and CGE.

Selfridges PLC's stock sale to British Land Co. prompted an 8.3% increase in its share prices. Selfridges declared in a statement to the London Stock Exchange that British Land owns a total of 4.80 million shares in the firm, which represents 3.1% of the share capital. After being asked whether his company plans to purchase more Selfridges shares, British Land Chairman Mr. Ritblat, who called the stake a trade investment, stated that it would depend on the price. Industry analysts believe that it is improbable that British Land will launch a full bid.

Kingfisher PLC, a retail group based in the UK, is seeking to have some form of alliance with Templemars, France-based Castorama Dubois SA, which is the biggest home-improvement chain in Europe. Kingfisher refuted news reports that the company wants to acquire Castorama for two billion pounds sterling, or $3.27 billion. Sir Geoffrey Mulcahy, who is the CEO of Kingfisher, is eager to become a distinguished pan-European retailer in the company's two core fields, home improvement and electrical products. Castorama have home-improvement operations in Poland, Canada, Italy, Brazil, Belgium and Germany.

Huntingdon Life Sciences Group PLC of the UK is to receive 20.2 million pounds sterling in a financial reconstruction being forged by Andrew Baker. The ailing biological-testing firm would be able to replenish its diminishing and adopt a recovery plan if it gets a cash injection. Huntingdon, which drew the ire of animal-rights protesters because of methods for testing, confirmed order cancellations and a decrease in new orders. Huntingdon, to be headed by Baker as the new executive chairman, is prompted to move close to full utilization of existing bank facilities by significant trading losses and cash outflows.

Harvey Nichols Group PLC listed an increase of 17% in full-year pre-tax profit to 14.1 million pounds sterling for the year ended Mar. 28, 1998 from 12.1 million pounds sterling a year before. The upscale retailer also listed a 13% sales increase to 128.5 million pounds sterling for the same period from the year before, indicating that its search for a Scotland, UK, store site is nearly ending. Harvey revealed in its earnings statement that its two new operations which surpassed internal projections contributed to the gains.

Game PLC's flotation on the London, UK, stock market in the first week of June 1998 will make the company's three co-founders gain 32.7 million pounds sterling, or $53.5 million. The UK computer games retailer's three co-founders, led by its chairman, Neil Taylor, will sell an estimated 50% of their existing 48.6% interest in a placement of 200-pence-per-share. A holding of 22.65% in Game PLC will be retained by the three co-founders, assessing the retained holding at 33.5 million pounds sterling at the placing value. The planned flotation will make Game PLC generate 8.5 million pounds sterling, which will be used to fund the company's expansion programs.

Thorn PLC, a rental and electronics group based in the UK, is planning to dispose all the company's businesses overseas within one and a half years. The planned sale includes the company's US businesses, which are anticipated to be completed in the next few months, and its European and Asian businesses, which are set to be completed between six months and 18 months. The move will enable Thorn to concentrate in its businesses in the UK and to stabilize Radio Rentals. Likewise, the company, which will drop its computer rentals in the UK, will proceed to develop its newer rentals operations, DER Direct and Crazy George's.

Kingfisher PLC posted an improvement of 39% in its pretax profits for the 1999 first-half. The company posted 254 million pounds (392.1 million euros) in pretax profits for the period ending July 31.

Retail company Arcadia Group PLC experienced a dramatic drop in share prices. The decline occurred following the company's announcement that it was faced with decreased sales and excessive competition. Arcadia reduced estimated profits for the fiscal year by an estimated 25%

Marley PLC, the British building materials manufacturer, has been acquired by Belgium Etex Group. The buyout comes one week after the attempted takeover of Marley by John Mansfield Group PLC. Etex Paid $602 million for Marley, which was 42% more than John Mansfield had offered.