Merck and Co. Inc (NYSE: MRK) CFO Judy Lewent sold 200K shares for $10.3M from July 26 through Aug. 7, at an average price of $51.31 per share, reported Barron's Online's "Inside Scoop" column.
The Royal Bank of Scotland (OTC: RBSPY)-led consortium seeking to purchase Dutch bank ABN Amro Holdings NV (NYSE: ABN) raised its stake in ABN to more than 3% between Friday and Monday, reported the Financial Times.
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The Independent reported that Barclays' (NYSE: BCS) bid for Dutch bank ABM Amro was approved by the Netherlands' Ministry of Finance yesterday.
A highly publicized civilian nuclear deal with the U.S. still allows India to test nuclear weapons, according to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, reported the Associated Press.
News Corporation's (NYSE: NWS) Rupert Murdoch said he is willing to go along with tighter editorial independence, but won't give in to a key demand from Dow Jones & Company Inc's (NYSE: DJ) controlling Bancroft family that they control an editorial oversight board that would protect this, the Wall Street Journal reported.
Barron's Online's Trader section believes Service Corporation International's (NYSE: SCI) 90% surge since August is the result of funeral service companies' virtual immunity to a slowing economy or rising rates – the market's two biggest fears right now.
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The New York Times reported that software maker Cadence Design Systems Inc (NASDAQ: CDNS) is in talks with private-equity players that include Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and the Blackstone Group about a possible sale of the company.
Technology Web sites have discovered that Apple Inc (NASDAQ: AAPL) embeds customers' personal data into files the company uses to distribute music from its online iTunes music store, creating fears about privacy, the UK Timesreported.
The UK Times also reported that Royal Bank of Scotland Group (OTC: RBSPY) may be looking to sell Southern Water for GBP4B, a move that could lead to many more deals in Britain's privatized water industry.
The Observer reported that a private equity consortium is considering a $15 billion offer for Virgin Media Inc (NASDAQ: VMED).
Cadbury Schweppes ADS (NYSE: CSG) is planning to return £5 billion to shareholders through a special dividend or share buyback, according to The Observer.
The Sunday Telegraph reported that UBS AG (NYSE: UBS) will offer to buy out the pension schemes of some of the leading FTSE100 companies next week.
Yahoo! Inc (NASDAQ: YHOO) may be looking to acquire British social networking site Bebo, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The Bollywood film producer, Eros International, is expected to announce a partnership with Google Inc's (NASDAQ: GOOG) YouTube, the Sunday Telegraph reported.
The Orange County Register blog looked at a transcript from IndyMac Bancorp Inc's (NYSE: IMB) first quarter conference call, where the CEO Michael Perry said: "When you see that delinquency number in the press of 13% subprime delinquencies, it's hugely understated. It is absolutely hugely understated. And the prime delinquencies are overstated. The subprime delinquencies are more like 18, 20, 22% delinquencies and that's where I think you're going to see the problems."
According to the Wall Street Journal, citing people familiar with the situation, the NY Attorney General and the SEC are both investigating "suspicious trading" in shares and options of Dow Jones and Company Inc (NYSE: DJ) prior to the $5B offer by News Corporation (NYSE: NWS).
The Wall Street Journal reported that the UK's financial-services regulator has begun a preliminary review of trading by hedge funds in ABN Amro Holdings (NYSE: ABN), according to people familiar with the situation.
BAE Systems (OTC: BAESY), the British defense contractor, is in the final stages of its $3.5B takeover of Armor Holdings Inc (NYSE: AH), the U.S. manufacturer of military and heavy vehicles, reported the Wall Street Journal.
The Wall Street Journal reported that a consortium led by the Royal Bank of Scotland Group (OTC: RBSPY) has made a formal $24.5B offer for ABN Amro's LaSalle Bank, according to people familiar with the situation.
The Financial Times reported that Dutch bank ABN Amro rejected a $24.5B offer for its U.S. bank, LaSalle, from a consortium led by Royal Bank of Scotland today. However, ABN said it would allow its shareholders to vote on the offer.
According to TheAlarmClock.com, Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdry believes Google Inc (NASDAQ: GOOG) is "stepping up its efforts" to acquire job search engine SimplyHired.
The Wall Street Journal (subscription required) reported that Fred Anderson, the former Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) CFO, said through his lawyer that Apple CEO Steve Jobs misled him regarding board actions on stock-option awards.
The Wall Street Journal reported that The Royal Bank of Scotland-led consortium of banks fighting Barclays (NYSE: BCS) in an attempt to acquire ABN Amro (NYSE: ABN) indicated it would pay EUR39 per share, or $98.5B, for the Dutch bank.
The next CEO of Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS.A) will probably be promoted from within the company, Royal Dutch Shell chairman Jorma Ollila said yesterday, reported the Financial Times (subscription required).
According to a New York Post exclusive, WPP Group (NASDAQ: WPPGY) is among the suitors for 24/7 Real Media, which is on the auction block.
The U.K. Times has reported that US Airways (NYSE: LCC) has pulled out of a $3.7 billion deal with Airbus, for Boeing (NYSE: BA), which US Air will order 20 to 30 787 Dreamliners from, worth between $3.2 billion and $4.9 billion.
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