LONDON (AFX) - Here are the top stories on AFX News Italy's Prodi wins second confidence vote
ROME (AFX) - Italy's centre-left government easily won a vote of confidence today in the lower house of parliament, formally ending a political crisis sparked by last week's resignation of Prime Minister Romano Prodi.
The centre-left prevailed in the Chamber of Deputies by 342 to 253, with two abstentions by far-left members. Bayer to cut 6,100 jobs worldwide including 1,500 in Germany
FRANKFURT (AFX) - BAYER AG said its Bayer HealthCare AG business is to cut 6,100 jobs worldwide, including 1,500 in Germany, as part of a plan to generate synergies from the integration of Schering AG.
The company said 3,150 jobs are to be shed in Europe; 1,000 in the US; 750 in the Asia, Pacific and Japan region; and 1,200 in Latin America and Canada. Cegedim to buy Dendrite for $751 million
NEW YORK (AP) - Cegedim SA, a French maker of software for pharmaceutical companies, said Friday it is buying Dendrite International Inc., which provides sales and marketing services for pharmaceutical companies, for about $751 million in cash.
The $16 per share offer represents a 40 percent premium over Bedminster, N.J.-based Dendrite's average closing share price from Feb. 1 to March 1 and a a 25 percent premium over Thursday's closing price of $12.79. EADS unit Airbus could get cash injection from French regional authorities
PARIS (AFX) - The presidents of eight French socialist regional councils yesterday signalled their intention of investing in Airbus' parent company EADS following the announcement of the Power8 restructuring plan for the ailing aircraft unit.
In a letter addressed to French prime minister Dominique de Villepin, the presidents of eight councils including Midi-Pyrenees, Ile-de-France, and Provence-Cote d'Azur, all of which have a socialist majority, criticised the planned 4,300 French job cuts, and asked for details on how they could take a stake in EADS' capital. Aker Kvaerner to restructure operations into five global businesses
OSLO (AFX) - Aker Kvaerner ASA said it is to restructure its business by transforming its existing six divisions into 'five global business areas', in a bid to both increase transparency and optimise the efficiency of its overall operations.
The Norwegian engineering firm said that by combining specialised units which work within the same market segments, the company will be able to increase overall capacity and improve its product offering. Adecco CFO says 1.5 bln eur earmarked for potential acquisitions
ZURICH (AFX) - Temporary employment group Adecco SA said it has a war chest of 1.5 bln eur for potential acquisitions for the coming years, CFO Dominik de Daniel said at the company's presentation of fourth-quarter and full-year results.
De Daniel emphatically ruled out the possibility of a capital increase to finance acquisitions. Bodycote rejects Sulzer's 325 pence a share offer, says it undervalues co
LONDON (AFX) - The board of UK group Bodycote International PLC has rejected a cash offer of 325 pence per share from Swiss engineering firm Sulzer AG.
Bodycote, which is being advised by Lehman Brothers and Credit Suisse, said it considered Sulzer's proposal but rejected it because it undervalued the company. Belgacom FY net rises to forecast-beating 973 mln eur vs 959 mln
BRUSSELS (AFX) - Belgian telecommunications group Belgacom SA posted a forecast-beating full-year net profit of 973 mln eur compared with 959 mln a year earlier as sales climbed to 6.1 bln eur from 5.7 bln.
EBITDA was in line with market expectations, easing to 2.149 bln eur from 2.214 bln. Mediaset FY net slips to 505 mln eur vs 603, div 0.43 per share, unchanged
MILAN (AFX) - Mediaset SpA said its full-year net profit fell to a preliminary 505.0 mln eur from 603.4 mln a year earlier due to weak advertising revenues in Italy.
Nevertheless, the company said it will maintain its dividend at 0.43 eur per share. Vivendi's Maroc Telecom posts 16 pct rise in FY net on strong mobile business
PARIS (AFX) - Vivendi's Maroc Telecom reported a 16 pct rise in 2006 net profit to a total of 607 mln eur, compared to 523 mln eur a year earlier, with the improvement primarily attributable to robust operating profitability in the mobile business.
Operating profit for the full year came out at 904 mln eur, up 15.5 pct from 793 mln eur in 2005. Linde FY net after minorities 1.838 bln eur vs 514 mln
FRANKFURT (AFX) - Linde AG said its full-year net profit after minorities, including special items, rose to 1.838 bln eur from 514 mln.
The company said its EBITDA more than doubled to 3.830 bln eur from 1.705 bln. COPYRIGHT Copyright AFX News Limited 2007. All rights reserved. The copying, republication or redistribution of AFX News Content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of AFX News. AFX News and AFX Financial News Logo are registered trademarks of AFX News Limited