WPP PLC

London's FTSE 100 slipped on Friday after a report that the United States was delaying a decision on letting its companies do business with Huawei, casting a shadow over global markets, though WPP soared after a quarterly update.

WPP reported a better-than-expected organic sales performance in the second quarter as its new strategy under boss Mark Read helped the world's biggest advertising group to win new business and retain clients.

WPP <WPP.L> is selling a 60% stake in Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, valuing the data analytics business at about $4 billion (£3.19 billion) and giving the British owner of agencies including Ogilvy and Wunderman Thompson funds to cut debt and rebuild.

WPP said on Friday U.S.-based private equity firm Bain Capital would buy a 60% stake in Kantar, valuing the data analytics unit at about $4 billion in the proposed deal. (Reporting by Noor Zainab Hussain in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)

WPP <WPP.L> is in exclusive talks to sell a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar to private equity firm Bain Capital, it said on Monday, in a $4 billion deal aimed at steering the world's biggest advertising company back to growth.

WPP has entered exclusive talks with private equity firm Bain Capital over the sale of a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar, the world's biggest advertising company said on Monday. (Reporting by Justin George Varghese in Bengaluru; Editing by Mark Potter)

WPP Plc <WPP.L> said it sold its minority stake in sports, entertainment and communications company Chime for 54.4 million pounds ($68.91 million), as the world's biggest advertising company looks to sell non-core assets and return to growth.

WPP said on Wednesday the sale of a majority stake in data analytics business Kantar is on track and that its full-year outlook was steady.

WPP said on Wednesday the sale of a majority stake in data analytics unit Kantar is progressing in line with expectations, and that its full-year outlook was unchanged.

Private equity fund Vista Equity Partners has emerged as one of four U.S. bidders vying for a majority stake in WPP's data analytics firm Kantar, two sources close to the deal told Reuters.

The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported by 2000 GMT on Thursday:

WPP has shortlisted a series of U.S. buyout funds to submit binding bids for a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar as it wants to finalise the sale in late June, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

The world's biggest advertising company WPP suffered a sharp drop in first-quarter underlying sales in North America as the loss of work from clients such as Ford took a toll on its most important market.

The world's biggest advertising company WPP reported an 8.5 percent slump in first-quarter underlying sales in North America, its biggest market, due to client losses that held the overall group back.

WPP has attracted at least five of the world's biggest private equity firms into an auction for a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar ahead of a deadline for indicative bids on Apr. 17, sources told Reuters.

Bankers are lining up around £2.5bn of debt financing to back a potential sale of WPP’s L> data analytics division Kantar, banking sources said on Thursday.

A series of buyout funds including U.S. firms Advent and Blackstone are in talks with advertising group WPP to explore bids for a majority stake in its data analytics unit Kantar, four sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

WPP Plc, the world's biggest advertising company, said on Tuesday it appointed Microsoft Corp's UK chief executive officer, Cindy Rose, as a non-executive director.

WPP gained some respite on Friday as the world's biggest advertising firm delivered results and forecasts that were not as bad as feared after a year of turmoil, lifting its shares.