Thales says has room for more acquisitions after Gemalto

PARIS (Reuters) - Aerospace and defence group Thales (TCFP.PA), which has agreed to buy chipmaker Gemalto (GTO.AS) for 4.8 billion euros (£4.24 billion), said on Monday it retained the financial leeway to seize other acquisition opportunities.

Chief Executive Patrice Caine also told a news conference that Gemalto's staff will have the opportunity to get jobs at Naval Group, a unit of Thales.

(Reporting by Cyril Altmeye, writing by Dominique Vidalon; editing by Richard Lough)