Bids to drive up interest

Market instability and recent high-profile hostile bids are likely todrive up interest in takeover insurance, as corporates become nervousabout hostile predators, believes specialist insurer Hiscox. The companysuggests that this year could see the highest number of hostile bids forover a decade. "The previous highest volume of hostile bids in any oneyear was 25 in 1991 - a year which, in terms of the economy and Iraq,shares obvious similarities with 2003. We have already seen four hostilebids