Deals

Aquila Resources will respond to a $1.4 billion joint takeover bid from listed railway operator Aurizon and Chinese steel giant Baosteel within the next two weeks following the dispatch of a bidders' statement today.

Accounting firm Crowe Horwath has entered into exclusive takeover talks with a partnership between wealth management group Financial Index Wealth Accountants and private equity firm KKR Asset Management, snubbing rival bidder Anchorage Capital Partners.

Red Gum Resources and White Star Resources are the latest exploration companies to shift focus away from the resources sector, signing deals to move into geospatial imagery and internet travel bookings respectively.

Perth company director Ian Middlemas has presided over another lucrative takeover deal, after the board of Africa-focused Papillon Resources agreed to a $615 million all-scrip takeover by Canadian major B2Gold.

Perth-based stockbroker Euroz has appointed former MLC chief executive Steve Tucker to head up a new funds management subsidiary as the company eyes opportunities in the listed investment company sector.

Origin Energy says it had to act after agreeing to fork out up to $US800 million ($A865.57 million) for a stake in a new gas project off the Western Australian coast.

Rare earths miner Lynas Corporation has raised about $40 million minus costs through a heavily discounted share purchase plan and placement.

Chinese steel giant Baosteel and listed railway operator Aurizon have cleared a key hurdle in their $1.4 billion joint takeover bid for Perth-based Aquila Resources, with the Foreign Investment Review Board giving the green light to the proposed deal.

Perth web development agency Blake Media Group has acquired local graphic design business Moondust Design for an undisclosed amount.

Tangiers Petroleum has completed its second capital raising for the month after receiving "strong, unsolicited demand" from major investors.

The Gina Rinehart-backed Sun Resources has purchased a stake in oil and gas leases in the prospective Eagle Ford and Austin Chalk shale formations in the American state of Texas.

Private equity group Pacific Equity Partners has launched a $1.1 billion takeover bid for information services group SAI Global.

Cleaning and catering services firm Spotless Group has made a strong return to trading on the Australian Securities Exchange.

The Drumstick and Choc Wedge ice-creams could be about to go the way of iconic Australian brands Victoria Bitter and Victa Lawnmowers and be sold overseas.

Silicon Valley-based online recruitment company 1-Page has outlined plans to launch a backdoor listing on the ASX through mining exploration company Intermet Resources.

The winemaker behind brands including Penfolds has rejected a $3.05 billion takeover proposal from a US investment firm while announcing plans to slash costs and jobs.

Biotech player Orthocell has appointed two financial advisory firms to seek out investors as part of the company’s plans to go public.

Sandalwood producer TFS Corporation has raised $67 million through a share placement, signalling it plans to increase the scale of its plantations.

Shares in Perth-based rubber recycling and manufacturing company Reclaim Industries have soared on the ASX on the back of its $3.8 million all-scrip takeover of cloud-based recruitment business Skills Connect.

IT services provider Empired has signed a deal to purchase Sydney-based customer relationship management firm eSavvy for $2.2 million.

Perth financial planners and former Test cricketers John "Sam" Gannon and Craig Serjeant are set to be two of the big winners from a $670 million takeover deal that will create Australia's third largest wealth manager.

The board of food producer Goodman Fielder has unanimously recommended shareholders accept a sweetened $1.37 billion dollar takeover offer from two Asian firms.

Global oil and gas services company ASCO Group has added another string to its bow with the $28 million purchase of a majority stake in logistics provider Bonnie Rock Transport.

West Perth-based explorer Avanco Resources has raised $23 million through a share placement as it works towards development of its Antas and Pedra Branca copper projects in Brazil.

ASX-listed Euroz has confirmed that it will acquire fellow Perth-based stockbroker Blackswan Equities.

St George Mining has completed an oversubscribed capital raising of $1.2 million.

Metals X has bought the Meekatharra gold operations for $7.7 million less than a year after the holding company – a subsidiary of Reed Resources – was placed into the hands of administrators.

Shares in Perth-based oil and gas explorer Tangiers Petroleum have closed lower after the company announced plans to launch a heavily discounted $5 million share placement.

Shares in US-focused Aurora Oil & Gas have closed higher after Canadian oil company Baytex Energy increased its takeover offer for the company.

Northern Star Resources has continued its aggressive expansion strategy, announcing it will buy the Jundee gold mine in Western Australia from Newmont Mining for $82.5 million.

Shares in Perth-based oil and gas explorer Neon Energy have soared after the company booked $US27 million from the sale of exploration leases in California to an anonymous buyer.

Biotech company Admedus has completed an oversubscribed $8 million share placement as it looks to push marketing for its CardioCel regenerative tissue product in Europe and the US.