German engineering group Robert Bosch is weighing a bid for US appliances manufacturer Whirlpool, according to three people familiar with the matter, a move that would boost its position in the household appliances market. Bosch has been talking to potential advisers about the possibility of making an offer for Whirlpool, which has a market capitalisation of about $4.8 billion, one of the sources said. Whirlpool has lost almost 50% of its market value over the past two years.
