Reuters News

Reuters: British Estate Agent Foxtons Plans September Market Debut

Private-equity backed British estate agent Foxtons said it plans to sell half the company on the London stock market next month, aiming to ride a recovery in the country's housing market.

Reuters: Lloyds Agrees to Sell A$371 Million Loan Parcel to Bain's Sankaty, Says Spokesman

Britain's Lloyds Banking Group (LLOY.L: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) has agreed to sell a A$371 million ($335.74 million) portfolio of loan assets from its Australian unit BOS International Australia to Bain Capital's Sankaty Advisors for an undisclosed price, Reuters reported.

Reuters: Ackman Turns Back on J.C. Penney, Sells Entire Stake in Retailer

Hedge fund manager William Ackman, the biggest shareholder in J.C. Penney Co Inc, said on Monday he had sold his entire stake after his campaign to overhaul the retailer failed, Reuters reported.

Reuters: ING's Asia Exit Plan Nears End as MBK Agrees to Buy South Korea Unit

ING Groep (ING.AS: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) edged closer to completing its year-and-a-half-old Asia divestment plan after private equity firm MBK Partners agreed to buy its South Korean insurance unit for total cash proceeds of 1.84 trillion won ($1.65 billion), Reuters reported.

Reuters: Exchange Operators BATS and Direct Edge to Merge

BATS Global Markets Inc and Direct Edge Holdings said on Monday they would merge in a deal that would create the second-largest U.S. stock exchange.

Reuters: Amgen To Buy Onyx For $10.4B

Investors reacted favorably on Monday to Amgen Inc's $10.4 billion purchase of Onyx Pharmaceuticals Inc, which gives the world's largest biotech company full rights to a blood cancer drug with multibillion-dollar sales potential.

BATS in Merger Talks with Direct Edge - WSJ

BATS Global Markets, the third-largest U.S. stock exchange, is in advanced talks to merge with smaller rival Direct Edge Holdings LLC, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Reuters: Private Equity Firm MBK to Buy ING's S.Korea Insurance Unit-source

Private equity firm MBK Partners has agreed to buy a 90 percent stake in ING's South Korean insurance unit for 1.63 trillion won ($1.46 billion), a source told Reuters.

Reuters: Centerbridge, Oaktree Sweeten Billabong Refinancing Deal

Oaktree Capital Management and Centerbridge Partners sweetened their refinancing proposal for surfwear company Billabong International Ltd, upping the ante against a rival group led by Altamont Capital Partners, Reuters reported.

Reuters: Master Blenders Acquisition Delayed by Shareholder Approval

Joh A Benckiser's (JAB) 7.5 billion euro ($10.01 billion) takeover of Dutch coffee and tea company D.E Master Blenders 1753 has been delayed as the company struggles to secure 95 percent shareholder acceptance, bankers sources said on Friday, Reuters reported.