MAJOR PAPERS:

• Barron's Online's (subscription required) "Inside Scoop" section reported that Thomas Everist, an MDU Resources Group (NYSE: MDU) board member since 1995, has sold a total of 742K shares for a total of $22.6M in MDU stock since May 2, according SEC data.
• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that EMI Group (OTC: EMIPY), the third largest music company by sales agreed to sell to Terra Firma Capital Partners for $4.74B, possibly ending its seven year battle with Warner Music Group Corp (NYSE: WMG).

• According to the New York Post, citing people familiar with the situation, the weakening housing market and other issues are making it difficult for Home Depot Inc (NYSE: HD) to sell its professional supply business.
• Discovery Communications is in talks with CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) to sell half its Discovery Times channel and form a joint-venture partnership, according to sources close with the situation, reported the Washington Post.

• According to an NDP Group report, April sales of Nintendo's (OTC: NTDOY) Wii consoles were almost 3.5 times higher than Sony Corporation's (NYSE: SNE) PlayStation 3, reported DigiTimes.com.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-22-07: Home Depot having trouble selling unit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 22 May 2007 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• According to people familiar with the matter, at least three groups of private-equity companies have formed to attempt to purchase wireless carrier Alltel Corporation (NYSE: AT), reported the Wall Street Journal (subscription required).
• The Wall Street Journal's "Heard in Asia" column reported that in order for Sony Corporation's (NYSE: SNE) stock to rise when it reports next week, it is going to have to convince investors that its PlayStation unit is showing improvement.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) reported that almost half of the senior management at Citigroup Inc's (NYSE: C) consumer operations have quit in the last 18 months, as criticism of CEO Chuck Prince has grown.

• According to the Telegraph, Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) and BP plc ADS's (NYSE: BP) Russian joint venture, TNK-BP, are expected to join the auction for the 537-petrol station network belonging to Yukos. The bidding is expected to start at GBP150M.
• GlaxoSmithKline plc ADR (NYSE: GSK) has begun to promote Alli, the first weight-loss drug to be approved by the FDA for over-the-counter sale, reported the New York Times.

• According to DigiTimes.com, citing industry insiders, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) is looking to up production of Intel Corporation's (NADSAQ: INTC) 802.11n Wi-Fi chips at 0.13-micron in Q3, a sign of closer collaboration between the two companies.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-9-07: Private equity looking at Alltel originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 May 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Microsoft Corporation (NASDAQ: MSFT) has launched a new, free Web-based email, called Windows Live Hotmail, available in 36 different languages.
• The Wall Street Journal reported that House lawmakers will challenge a deal made by House Financial Services Chairman Barney Frank and the U.S. Treasury to overhaul the supervision of Fannie Mae (NYSE: FNM) and Freddie Mac (NYSE: FRE).
• The Wall Street Journal's "Heard on the Street" column wrote that investors are betting that dealmaking is not done in commodities, with United States Steel Corporation (NYSE: X) and Alcoa Inc (NYSE: AA) among those that could receive takeover offers.
• The Financial Times (subscription required) "Alphaville" section reported that Arcelor-Mittal (NYSE: MT) is looking at AK Steel Holding Corporation (NYSE: AKS), with a offer of as mush as $40 a share.

• The New York Times reported, citing investigators, that Chevron Corporation (NYSE: CVX) is preparing to acknowledge that it should have known kickbacks were being paid to Saddam Hussein on oil the company bought in Iraq.

• DigiTimes.com reported that Aruba Networks Inc (NASDAQ: ARUN) CEO Dominic Orr said that the company is expecting to nearly double its share in the global enterprise mobility solution market in 2008 from 10%-12% to around 20%.

Newspaper wrap-up 5-8-07: Arcelor-Mittal eyeing AK Steel originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 May 2007 09:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ) has pushed into the high-end copier market with two new multi-function color printers.
• According to people close to the matter, Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Atlantic Airways has agreed to but up to 24 of Boeing Company's (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliners, reported the Wall Street Journal.

• The Economic Times reported that US investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc (NYSE: LEH) will invest almost $80M in an Indian special economic zone, or SEZ, and may invest up to $300M in the venture.
• The Globe and Mail reported that Bed Bath & Beyond Inc (NASDAQ: BBBY) is looking for store locations in Canada, according to industry sources.

• TheDeal.com (subscription required) speculated that the proposed buyout of LaSalle Bank by Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) could catalyze a slew of bank acquisitions in the Chicago market, with possible acquirers including Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB) and National City Corporation (NYSE: NCC), and possible targets including TCF Financial Corp (NYSE: TCB).
• DigiTimes.com reported that the VP of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM) reportedly said that a buyout of Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corporation (NYSE: SMI) by private equity firms would be positive.

Newspaper wrap-up 4-24-07: Virgin Airways to buy up to 24 Boeing jets originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 24 Apr 2007 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that the UAW and representatives of Kirk Kerkorian, which made a $4.5B proposal for DaimlerChrysler AGs (NYSE: DCX) Chrysler unit, met to discuss the potential of an employee stock ownership plan and other alternatives to a takeover of the struggling automaker.
• A $25B deal to take SLM Corporation (NYSE: SLM), known as Sallie Mae, private will most likely remain under the scrutiny of a federal regulator, reported the Wall Street Journal.

• The Washington Post reported that the FDA knew years in advance about contamination problems at a Georgia peanut butter plant and on California spinach farms that led to disease outbreaks, documents and interviews show.
• According to an examination by the San Jose Mercury News, a criminal case against Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs in the stock-options backdating investigation looks unlikely.
• According to Cinco Dias, Gottschalks Inc (NYSE: GOT) has hired UBS AG (NYSE: UBS) to explore options of a possible sale or a merger.

• Digitimes.com reported that Koninklijke Philips Electronics (NYSE: PHG) has decided to withdraw from the Taiwan handset market.

Newspaper wrap-up 4-23-07: Criminal case against Steve Jobs unlikely originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 23 Apr 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

MAJOR PAPERS:

• Morgan Stanley (NYSE: MS) is about to purchase 13 hotels from All Nippon Airways for about $1.2B, doubling the number of hotels the investment bank owns there, reported the Wall Street Journal.
• The Financial Times reported that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) announced it would delay shipping its new Leopard operating system until October, due to the summer launch of its iPhone.

• According to the New York Times, citing people briefed on the discussions, Sallie Mae (NYSE: SLM) is in talks to be acquired by private equity for more than $20B.
• The Guardian reported that exiled Russian tycoon Boris Berezovsky is planning the "violent overthrow of [Russian] President Putin".
• The New York Post reported that Dubai is looking at buying Jones Apparel Group Inc's (NYSE: JNY) Barneys New York for $950M. Contrary to previous reports, the suitor is not linked to Qatar's royal family, but is Istithmar, a private equity firm owned by the Dubai government.

• According to sources familiar with the matter, Apple has plans to release new iPods with Wi-Fi, reported DigiTimes.com.

Newspaper wrap-up 4-13-07: Happy Friday the 13th! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Apr 2007 09:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.