Americans express interest in Sharepeople

American Express has announced its intention to acquire UK online brokerage Sharepeople Group.

The company will pay 17.5p per share for the company, valuing Sharepeople at approximately £29.9m. Jim Cracchiolo, president of global financial services at American Express, said in a statement: "This acquisition is a part of our strategy to become a leading provider of financial products and services around the world. We want to be as well known in financial services as we are in cards and travel."