Publishing and education giant Pearson (LON:PSON) will be very much a stock in focus on Friday, when it posts first half numbers.
Heads were turned, or rather yanked, on Thursday (yesterday) as it emerged it was selling the business that owns the Financial Times to Japan's Nikkei for £844mln, bringing to a close a near 60 year ownership of the iconic FT.
Earlier, Pearson had said it was in advanced talks with a mystery bidder.
The FT itself ran a story saying the potential buyer was media group Axel Springer, which owns the German mass market daily 'Das Bild'.
But Bloomberg later reported that Axel Springer had said it was not interested.
The FT Group includes the Financial Times, FT.com, a 50% shareholding in news magazine The Economist, investment magazine Investors Chronicle and a joint venture with Vedomosti in Russia.
Other announcements expected
Interim: Anglo American (LON:AAL), Hammerson (LON:HMSN), Vodafone (LON:VOD)
Trading update: Pearson (LON:PSON)
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