US jet engine giant General Electric is rumored to be in talks to buy French train maker Alstom for 9.5 billion euros.<br /><br />The General Electric bid is believed to be supported by telecoms company Bouygues, which holds 29 percent of Alstom.<br /><br />Alstom, which also provides technology for power plants denies any such speculation.<br /><br />Still Alstom is clearly showing signs of strain. The company announced a 12 percent fall in orders for its new thermal power plants and last year embarked on a plan to raise 2 billion euros from asset sales.<br /><br />Alstom is currently sheding 1,300 jobs.<br /><br />As talk of the multi-billion euro bid hit the Paris market shares in Alstom rocketed by 16 percent.
