Shares digital

Old Orleans restaurant owner Regent Inns (REG) could be taken over after several approaches were made for the business. Shares in the group jumped 50% to 24.75p intraday Tuesday after the group confirmed the potential bid talks. The company has suffered from difficult trading conditions, higher costs and failed acquisitions – prompting its share price to fall 87% in the nine months preceding the bid approach. Private equity groups are likely predators.

Shares says: Those still holding the troubled stock should sell now while there is some price gain, in case a takeover doesn’t happen. DC