Pearson’s market value jumped by as much as a fifth after a US private equity group said it was considering making an improved cash offer after the educational publisher’s rejection of a potential deal worth more than £6.4bn.
News of the possible offer from Apollo sent shares in Pearson, which is finally emerging from a seven-year slump marked by a string of profit warnings and a record £2.6bn loss, up 20%, making it the top riser on the FTSE 100 on Friday.