UPDATE 2-Flutter in talks to buy Playtech's Italian unit Sky News says deal could be worth about 2 bln stg Playtech shares jump 22% to highest since March 2022 Flutter shares climb 10% Adds Flutter's response and details throughout By DhanushVignesh Babu Aug 14 (Reuters) - Irish betting giant Flutter Entertainment FLTRF.L is in talks to buy UK gambling technology firm Playtech's PTEC.L Italian unit Snaitech, the companies said on Wednesday.

UPDATE 3-UK homebuilder Bellway scraps bid for Crest Nicholson Crest shares fall 19%; Bellway stock gains 4% Bellway does not cite reason for walking away Crest says it is confident about its standalone prospects Updates share move in paragraph 3, adds analyst comments in 5-6 and 9 By Aby Jose Koilparambil Aug 13 (Reuters) - British homebuilder Bellway BWY.L has unexpectedly dropped its 720 million pound ($921 million) bid to buy smaller peer Crest Nicholson CRST.L , sending Crest's shares almos

EUROPE RESEARCH ROUNDUP-AstraZeneca, Beazley, Puma Aug 12 (Reuters) - Securities analysts revised their ratings and price targets on several European companies, including AstraZeneca, Beazley and Puma on Monday. HIGHLIGHTS * AstraZeneca AZN.L : TD Cowen raises target price to 14,860p from 13,945p * Beazley BEZG.L : Jefferies raises target price to 1,020p from 975p * Puma SE PUMG.DE : Baader Helvea raises to buy from add * Quilter Plc QLT.L : Berenberg raises target price to 135p from 105p * WPP

UPDATE 1-UK's FTSE 100 rounds off second week with losses For a Reuters live blog on U.S., UK and European stock markets, click LIVE/ or type LIVE/ in a news window FTSE 100 up 0.3%, FTSE 250 adds 0.6% on the day Homebuilders led gains on upbeat outlook from Bellway Hargreaves Landsdown agrees to takeover deal, shares rise Updated at 1555 GMT By Purvi Agarwal and Roshan Abraham Aug 9 (Reuters) - London's main equity indexes logged declines for a second week on Friday, but ended higher for the da

Deals of the day-Mergers and acquisitions Adds: Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp, Mahindra & Mahindra Aug 9 (Reuters) - The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 1330 GMT on Friday: ** Canada's Algonquin Power & Utilities Corp AQN.TO said that it is selling its renewable energy business, excluding hydropower operations, to a unit of LS Power for up to $2.5 billion.