Business news in brief: Monday April 25

Thousands of Shell jobs at risk; Philips likely to list its lighting business on stock market; Ball and Rexam and partner to sell plants to Irish rival for $3.5 billion

Royal Dutch Shell on Monday has announced it will close offices in Reading, Aberdeen and Manchester (Getty)

Thousands of Shell jobs at risk after its BG deal

Royal Dutch Shell on Monday has announced it will close offices in Reading, Aberdeen and Manchester after its £36 billion takeover of BG. Some 1,600 staff employed at the sites, who did not wish to relocate, would be offered voluntary redundancy under Shell's previously announced global plan to cut 10,300 jobs - with 2,800 coming through synergies from the BG acquisition.

Rexam and Ball to sell plants to Irish rival for $3.5 billion

Rexam and Ball, a drinks can maker, will each sell about a quarter of their assets to an Irish rival in a deal worth nearly €3.5 billion (£2.4 billion), to appease distrustful regulators ahead of their planned merger. Ball, a US based company, agreed to sell 17 factories in the US, Europe and Brazil, together with other installations. The companies will also sell certain innovation and support functions in these regions, Ball said, which would put it on track to close the Rexam deal by the end of June.

Philips likely to list its lighting business on stock market

Philips said it is likely to sell its lighting division via a public offering, creating a standalone company that would be the world's largest maker of lights. The move comes as part of the company’s wider strategy to concentrate on its more profitable and faster growing healthcare business. Shares in Philips fell more than 5 per cent in Amsterdam as investors reacted badly to the news of a possible listing.

'British Disneyland' type theme park set to be built by London Paramount

Britain is to get a £2 billion theme park that could rival the scale of Disneyland Paris - and it could open its doors as early as 2021. The theme park is planned on a 388-acre site in Kent and could bring 50,000 tourists a day as well as creating 27,000 of jobs. Financed by the Kuwait's Al-Humaidi family, attractions will include a large indoor water park, theatres, West End-style music shows, rides, cinemas, restaurants, event space and 5,000 hotel rooms. Following meetings with local residents last year, construction is now set to begin in 2018.