GERMANY'S MERCK TO BUY SIGMA-ALDRICH FOR $17 BILLION
German pharmaceutical company Merck said it would acquire U.S.
firm Sigma-Aldrich for $17 billion, paying $140 a share in cash, to
strengthen its position in the life science industry.
SIEMENS TO BUY DRESSER-RAND FOR $7.6 BILLION
German engineering company Siemens announced a deal to acquire
U.S. oil-equipment maker Dresser-Rand Group for $7.6 billion.
EMC WEIGHS MERGER, OTHER OPTIONS
Data-storage giant EMC, under pressure from a shareholder
activist and faced with the expected retirement of its longtime
CEO, is said to be considering options that could include a merger
deal with a rival.
TESCO SUSPENDS EXECUTIVES, PROBES ERROR
Tesco has issued its fourth profit warning in three years and
said it is investigating why it overstated its most recent profit
forecast by $408.8 million.
EUROPEAN STOCKS HIT BY CHINA FEARS
Concerns about slowing economic growth in China weighed on
mining stocks and battered metals prices.
GOOGLE'S RECIPE FOR EU'S DIGITAL AGENDA
Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt is encouraging Europe to remove
remaining national borders which complicate life for tech
companies, cut red tape and embrace disruptive services.
ALIBABA BANKERS EXERCISE 'GREEN SHOE' OPTION
Bankers for Alibaba Group Holding maximized the size of the deal
Friday, officially making it the biggest initial public offering
ever, at $25 billion, according to people familiar with the
sale.
RADIOSHACK, CREDITORS HAD TALKS WITH VENDOR
Cash-strapped RadioShack said it has talked with a major vendor
about potential changes to its commercial arrangement that could
benefit a financial restructuring of the electronics retailer.
Shares rose 4% premarket.
AUTOZONE PROFIT EDGES HIGHER
AutoZone's fiscal 4Q profit inched up to $373.7 million, or
$11.28 a share, while margins expanded, although sales fell on
fewer sales days in the period. Revenue fell 1.5% to $3.05 billion.
Earnings beat analysts' view, while the top line fell shy.
AIRBUS TO BEGIN FLIGHT TRIALS OF NEW A320NEO ENGINE OPTIONS
Airbus plans to begin flight trials of its new plane this week.
The A320neo, which places more fuel efficient engines on the
single-aisle plane, is the best selling program Airbus has ever
launched.
LONDON MINING IN DISPUTE WITH GLENCORE
Sierra Leone iron ore producer London Mining said it has entered
into a dispute with Glencore over a cash prepayment that the
commodities trader has refused to pay.
TOTAL CUTS PRODUCTION OUTLOOK
French oil major Total has reduced its medium-term production
forecast and said it was in talks with Chinese banks to help fund a
major project in Russia.