2007-03
15 09:18:30Altadis share trading suspended ahead of expected announcement
MADRID (AFX) - Trading in the shares of Altadis SA have been suspended ahead of an expected announcement by the company, stock market regulator CNMV said.
2007-03
15 09:17:18Premier Farnell sees 'interest' in BHIO unit, dismisses potential merger talk
LONDON (AFX) - Premier Farnell PLC chief executive Harriet Green today confirmed the company has received interest in its 'for sale' BuckHickman InOne (BHIO) unit.
2007-03
15 08:55:26Vodafone reaches agreement with Essar
LONDON (AFX) - Vodafone said it has reached agreement with Essar over how their Indian mobile phone joint venture will be managed.
2007-03
15 08:53:39India's Suzlon Energy to evaluate Areva counterbid for REpower
MUMBAI (AFX) - India's Suzlon Energy Ltd said the company will evaluate Areva's revised 140 eur per share offer for REPower Systems AG and will 'respond accordingly.'
2007-03
15 08:52:00Ericsson buys remaining 79 pct of Swedish IP-messaging firm Mobeon
STOCKHOLM (AFX) - LM Ericsson AB said it will acquire the remaining 79 pct of IP-messaging firm Mobeon AB it does not own, in order to strengthen its multimedia strategy.
2007-03
15 08:50:06Swisscom wants to keep Fastweb listed depending on outcome of bid
MILAN (AFX) - Swisscom AG said it intends to keep Fastweb SpA listed with a float of around 30-40 pct if its proposed 3.7 bln eur bid for the Italian broadband operator is successful, Il Sole 24 Ore said, citing Swisscom CEO Carsten Schloter.
2007-03
15 08:48:23Gurit sells Suprem business to Swiss investors for undisclosed price
BERN (AFX) - Gurit Holding AG announced the sale of its Suprem's powder impregnated thermoplastic tapes business to a group of Swiss investors effective as of March 15, 2007.
2007-03
15 08:41:37Akzo Nobel sells PVC additives unit to GIL Investments
AMSTERDAM (AFX) - Akzo Nobel NV said it has sold its Akcros Chemicals PVC additives unit to the UK-based private investment firm GIL Investments, without disclosing financial details.
2007-03
15 08:32:32Cadbury Schweppes says split options are demerger or sale of beverages
LONDON (AFX) - Cadbury Schweppes PLC said it will separate its confectionery and Americas Beverages businesses through a demerger or disposal of the latter business.
2007-03
15 08:27:37Cargotec to buy 90 pct stake in Norway's Hydramarine
HELSINKI (AFX) - Cargotec said its MacGregor unit has agreed to acquire a 90 pct stake in Hydramarine AS, a Norway-based specialist in offshore load-handling systems, for an undisclosed sum.
2007-03
15 08:24:14La Seda bids for US Eastman Chemical factories in the UK, Netherlands - report
MADRID (AFX) - La Seda de Barcelona SA has made an offer of around 150 mln eur to acquire factories held by US Eastman Chemical in the UK and Netherlands, El Pais reported, citing unnamed sources close to the company.
2007-03
15 08:18:49France Telecom Senegal unit acquires 2 mobile licences in West Africa
PARIS (AFX) - France Telecom said its Senegalese unit Sonatel has acquired two mobile phone operator licences in West Africa.
2007-03
15 08:09:48Nokia, Siemens networks JV to get underway April 1
HELSINKI (AFX) - Nokia and Siemens AG last night confirmed their networks infrastructure joint venture will get underway on April 1 after being delayed by the corruption scandal at Siemens.
2007-03
15 08:08:46Italian banks may buy Pirelli's Telecom Italia stake at 2.8-2.9 eur/shr - report
MILAN (AFX) - A consortium of Italian banks and financial institutions is ready to buy Pirelli & C SpA's stake in Telecom Italia SpA at 2.8-2.9 eur per share, the daily MF said, citing sources close to the talks.
2007-03
15 07:59:07RWE's takeover of Saar Ferngas will be blocked by German cartel office - report
FRANKFURT (AFX) - RWE AG's acquisition of a 76.9 pct stake in RAG's Saar Ferngas will be blocked by Germany's Bundeskartellamt cartel office this week, Sueddeutsche Zeitung reported without naming its sources.
2007-03
15 07:48:35Areva ups bid for REpower to 140 eur/shr from 105 eur/shr
FRANKFURT (AFX) - Areva said it has raised its offer for REpower Systems AG to 140 eur per share from 105 eur per share.
2007-03
15 07:45:35Akzo Nobel sells PVC additives unit to GIL Investments for undisclosed sum
AMSTERDAM (AFX) - Akzo Nobel NV said it has sold its Akcros Chemicals PVC additives unit to UK-based private investment firm GIL Investments, without disclosing financial details.
2007-03
15 07:34:39Nokia, Siemens networks jv to get underway April 1
HELSINKI (AFX) - Nokia and Siemens AG last night confirmed their networks infrastructure joint venture will get underway on April 1 after being delayed by the corruption scandal at Siemens.
2007-03
15 07:27:48Cadbury Schweppes to split business
LONDON (AFX) - Cadbury Schweppes PLC has confirmed it intends to separate its confectionery and Americas Beverages businesses.
2007-03
15 07:24:53BPI has over 3 investors interested in 7 pct BCP stake - chairman
LISBON (AFX) - Banco BPI has over three interested parties interested in acquiring the nearly 7 pct stake it holds in its suitor Banco Comercial Portugues, Jornal de Negocios reported on its website, citing the bank's chairman Fernando Ulrich.
2007-03
15 07:22:30Aegon to buy Dutch life insurance co Optas for 100 mln eur
AMSTERDAM (AFX) - Aegon NV said it agreed to acquire Rotterdam-based Optas NV, a Dutch life insurance company specialising in employee benefit products and services, for a net consideration of 100 mln eur.
2007-03
15 07:08:07Essar, Vodafone reach joint partnership deal; Essar head to be chairman - report
LONDON (AFX) - Essar and Vodafone have reached an agreement on jointly managing Hutchison Essar, said the Indian daily Business Line, without citing any sources.
2007-03
15 06:55:13Reliance appoints investment bankers to negotiate Carrefour stake buy - report
NEW DELHI (XFN-ASIA) - Reliance Industries Ltd has appointed two investment bankers to negotiate the purchase of a strategic minority stake in French retailer Carrefour, the Hindustan Times reported, citing unnamed sources.
2007-03
15 06:49:20Cadbury plans to split business; announcement could come today - BBC
LONDON (AFX) - Cadbury Schweppes PLC is planing to split itself into two separate businesses, the BBC is reporting in an unsourced story on its website.
2007-03
15 06:38:18China Metallurgical Group approved to buy into Argentinean iron ore miner
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC), the country's top economic planner, said it has approved China Metallurgical Group Corp's (MCC) plan to buy a 70 pct stake in Argentinean iron ore miner Minera Sierra Grande SA.
2007-03
15 05:14:50Taiwan's MediaTek rejects reports it is planning to acquire Trident Microsystems
TAIPEI (XFN-ASIA) - MediaTek Inc (2454.TW) said it has no immediate plans to acquire Trident Microsystems Inc, rejecting reports and speculation that Taiwan's leading integrated circuits design house is interested in the US firm.
2007-03
15 04:43:29US Airways workers protest negotiations
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Six weeks after its bid for Delta Air Lines collapsed, US Airways President Scott Kirby says the company's top priority in 2007 would be to settle its union labor contracts and finish combining operations with America West Airlines.
2007-03
15 04:35:17US Airways workers say talks too slow
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) - Six weeks after its bid for Delta Air Lines collapsed, US Airways President Scott Kirby says the company's top priority in 2007 would be to settle its union labor contracts and finish combining operations with America West Airlines.
2007-03
15 03:13:17SKorea's Kyobo Life, AXA talks on Kyobo unit sale at final stage - report
SEOUL (XFN-ASIA) - Talks between Kyobo Life Insurance Co and French insurer AXA SA on the sale of Kyobo's auto insurance unit have reached their final stage with the parties only required to sign for a deal to be concluded, local news provider Edaily reported.
2007-03
15 02:05:57Time Warner withdraws AOL's offer for Sweden's TradeDoubler
HONG KONG (XFN-ASIA) - Time Warner Inc withdrew its 900 mln usd offer for Swedish online marketing company TradeDoubler AB, the Wall Street Journal reported.
2007-03
15 01:59:10TNT completes acquisition of China's Hoau
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - TNT said it has completed its acquisition of Chinese freight and parcels delivery firm Hoau.
2007-03
15 00:54:28China's Citic Group in talks to buy oil assets in China, Africa - report
BEIJING (XFN-ASIA) - State-owned investment firm Citic Group is in talks to buy a sizeable oil asset in China in the coming months, followed by another in Africa, the Financial Times reported, citing a source familiar with Citic's plans.
2007-03
15 00:36:22Australia's Qantas sees FY profit growth at upper end of 30-40 pct
SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) - Qantas Airways Ltd said it expects year to June net profit growth to be at the upper end of an anticipated 30-40 pct year-on-year rise, which it had forecast when it reported its first-half results on Feb 8.
2007-03
15 00:25:10Australia's Qantas sees yr to June net profit growth at upper end of 30-40 pct
SYDNEY (XFN-ASIA) - Qantas Airways Ltd said it expects year to June net profit growth to be at the upper end of an anticipated 30-40 pct year-on-year rise, which it had forecast when it reported its first-half results on Feb 8.
2007-03
14 23:28:01MDS extends Molecular Dev. tender offer
NEW YORK (AP) - Canadian drug developer MDS Inc. said Wednesday it extended its cash tender offer for shares of Molecular Devices Corp. until Monday.
2007-03
14 23:13:45BNCCORP to sell insurance subsidiary
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - Bank holding company BNCCORP Inc. said Wednesday it agreed to sell its insurance subsidiary to Hub International Ltd. for about $37 million. For more information and to contact AFX: www.afxnews.com and www.afxpress.com