Mike Ashley’s retail group has made near-€2bn bid for the German fashion house, in which it holds a 26% stake

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Shares in Hugo Boss jumped nearly 10% on Thursday after the company said it would “thoroughly examine” a near-€2bn takeover approach from the Sports Direct owner Frasers Group.

Mike Ashley’s fashion and sportswear business has pounced on the German fashion house, in which it already owns just over a 26% stake, saying late on Wednesday that it was offering about €1.98bn (£1.73bn) to take full control .

Blundy’s investment firm, BBRC International, owns about 13% of the US-listed lingerie brand, giving it a potential platform to launch a hostile takeover

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Australian billionaire Brett Blundy is waging a high-stakes campaign to oust the long-term chair of Victoria’s Secret & Co, setting the stage for a showdown at the company’s annual meeting in the US on Thursday.

Blundy’s investment firm, BBRC International, owns about 13% of the US-listed Victoria’s Secret lingerie brand, making it the second-biggest single shareholder and giving it a potential platform to launch a hostile takeover.