European markets open lower amid French instability

Direct Line shares climbed almost 8% following news that it is set to be acquired by fellow British insurer Aviva.

Direct Lines shares were 7.71% higher at 8:16 a.m. London time, hitting a 52-week high, while Aviva stock rose 0.35%.

Direct Line’s board on Friday said it would recommend a formal takeover offer from Aviva to shareholders, after the latter increased its bid for the company by 10%.

The new offer values Direct Line at 275 British pence ($3.51) per share, representing a more-than 73% premium to the closing price on Nov. 27 — the day before news of the initial bid became public.

— Katrina Bishop

Direct Line looks set to be acquired by Aviva after the latter increased its bid for its fellow British insurance company.

In a joint statement, the companies said they had reached a preliminary agreement on the terms of a takeover. Direct Line’s board said it would recommend the deal to shareholders if Aviva made a formal offer.

The new offer values Direct Line at 275 British pence ($3.51) per share, representing a more-than 73% premium to the closing price on Nov. 27 — the day before news of the initial bid became public. It represents a 10% increase from Aviva’s initial offer of 250 pence per share in November, which was rejected.

“Direct Line shareholders would own approximately 12.5% of the issued and to be issued share capital of Aviva,” the companies said in a statement.

“The Direct Line Board believes that, in addition to the attractive headline value per share, the combination would provide the opportunity to deliver significant synergies, creating substantial additional value for both sets of shareholders.”

— Katrina Bishop

The FTSE 100 is expected to open 8 points lower at 8,341 on Friday morning, while the German DAX index is slated to lose 24 points at the opening, according to IG, bringing it down to 20,334.

Meanwhile, IG is predicting that the CAC 40 will open around 8 points lower at 7,322.

— Chloe Taylor

Macquarie has named several Asian companies as its top picks for 2025, with predicted gains ranging from 50% to over 80% in their share prices.

The selection spans multiple sectors including technology, automotive, defense, and power utilities, reflecting the investment bank’s positive view on these industries for the coming year.

CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here.

— Ganesh Rao