Argenta valuation to defy gravity as sale nears

Argenta looks set to confound expectations of narrowing sale
multiples for Lloyd's businesses if it can get a deal with one
of its final-round bidders over the line.
Final offers were due at the end of last week in the Goldman
Sachs-run process, with bidders said to include Matt
Fairfield's (re)insurance start-up Exin and state-owned life
insurance giant China Taiping.
Market sources have suggested the business could sell with a
headline valuation of around 2x book, as bidders ostensibly look...