— Reed Business Information: Times says Reed Elsevier (NYSE: RUK) will offer a loan to suitors for its on-the-block RBI B2B publisher – an indication the financial markets are not in good shape. The paper fingers Advent, 3i, Candover, Cinven, Providence Equity, Permira and Apax Partners as likely bidders, but says Reed is having to sweeten the deal with a loan because “it could not persuade banks to provide enough financing that would be attractive to a private equity group”.
— BSkyB: Sky is considering a