China's SAIC Motor Corporation seeks predators to join £7billion bid for FTSE 100 engineering giant GKN
Rumours: The GKN takeover gossip that has been lingering since the middle of the summer just refuses to go away
Any partner for SAIC would have to be interested in owning GKN's aerospace division.
Teaming up with a western company could smooth over any potential regulatory or political hurdles surrounding a bid by a state-backed Chinese company.
City sources said SAIC had already approached several US companies, including United Technologies Corporation and Northrop Grumman Corporation, via JP Morgan, about mounting a joint bid.
Potential partners for the Chinese based in Blighty include BAE Systems, down 2.4 per cent, or 13p, to 524.5p, Rolls-Royce, down 1.4 per cent, or 10.5p, to 722.5p, and the highly acquisitive Melrose, up 0.4 per cent, or 0.75p, to 171.75p.
GKN itself ticked up 0.7 per cent, or 2.3p, to 323.2p.