FRANKFURT (dpa-AFX) - An announced takeover gave Gerresheimer shares a strong boost in pre-market trading on Thursday. On the Tradegate trading platform, the shares of the specialty packaging manufacturer recently jumped 3.5 percent to 96.45 euros. This seems to have put an end to the recent slump for the time being. Over the past four trading days, the shares had fallen by more than 12 percent at their peak. In the year to date up to Wednesday, the share price had fallen by a good one percent.

Gerresheimer wants to expand its pharma business with the takeover of the Bormioli Pharma Group. The Italian company, which manufactures pharmaceutical primary packaging, is valued at 800 million euros.

The acquisition should reassure Gerresheimer investors after the recent speculation about a possible profit warning, wrote Jefferies analyst James Vane-Tempest in an initial reaction. The shares had recently had a difficult time in the face of bad news from industry colleagues Schott Pharma and Stevanato./edh/jha/