Business Today: M&A activity lifts index futures

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Good Morning Aron, MON 23 Aug 2010    M&A activity lifts index futures HP launches $1.6 billion bid for 3PAR Potash seeking talks with possible white knights SABMiller, Asahi eye Foster's beer unit: sources Compensation czar takes charge of $20 billion BP fund AIG's ILFC unit repays nearly $4 billion of U.S. loans HSBC in talks for 70 percent of S.Africa's Nedbank Blackstone, Great Eagle in China housing deal: report KNOC awaits Dana shareholders on $2.6 billion bid: source BYD warns of slower H2, says dealer pullouts overstated Asahi, SAB eye Foster's beer unit Asian shares mixed, bets on Abbott IFR's Hall: No upbeat housing news M&A activity lifts index futures August 23, 2010 08:21 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures rose on Monday, following two weeks of losses for the S&P and Dow, as sentiment was lifted by several potential mergers and deals. Full Article HP launches $1.6 billion bid for 3PAR August 23, 2010 08:33 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co launched a $1.6 billion bid for data storage company 3PAR Inc on Monday, topping an offer by technology rival Dell Inc . Full Article Potash seeking talks with possible white knights August 23, 2010 08:04 AM ET LONDON/MELBOURNE (Reuters) - Canada's Potash Corp is seeking talks with possible counter-bidders as it fights off an unwanted $39 billion takeover offer from BHP Billiton. Full Article SABMiller, Asahi eye Foster's beer unit: sources August 23, 2010 07:42 AM ET SYDNEY/LONDON (Reuters) - Brewing groups SABMiller and Asahi Breweries are looking at Foster's Group's beer operations, valued at more than $10 billion, but have not yet made any formal offers, sources said. Full Article Compensation czar takes charge of $20 billion BP fund August 23, 2010 08:23 AM ET NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - A $20 billion compensation fund for economic victims of the BP Gulf oil spill opens for business on Monday amid accusations that the rules established by its administrator are unfair. Full Article AIG's ILFC unit repays nearly $4 billion of U.S. loans August 23, 2010 12:53 AM ET NEW YORK (Reuters) - American International Group's aircraft leasing unit ILFC repaid nearly $4 billion of U.S. loans after raising new debt from investors, a source familiar with the matter said on Sunday. Full Article HSBC in talks for 70 percent of S.Africa's Nedbank August 23, 2010 06:37 AM ET JOHANNESBURG/HONG KONG (Reuters) - HSBC is in talks to buy up to 70 percent of South Africa's Nedbank, in a potential $6.8 billion deal that would give Europe's biggest lender a broader gateway to the fast-growing African continent. Full Article Blackstone, Great Eagle in China housing deal: report August 22, 2010 09:50 PM ET HONG KONG (Reuters) - U.S. private equity firm Blackstone Group has agreed to a deal with Great Eagle to build high-end apartments in China, where the housing market is booming, the Financial Times said. Full Article KNOC awaits Dana shareholders on $2.6 billion bid: source August 23, 2010 02:04 AM ET SEOUL (Reuters) - Korea National Oil Corp is prepared to wait for shareholders of UK's Dana Petroleum to respond to its hostile $2.6 billion bid for the firm and won't comment on a report that Dana is seeking a higher offer in return for board approval. Full Article BYD warns of slower H2, says dealer pullouts overstated August 23, 2010 04:45 AM ET HONG KONG/BEIJING (Reuters) - China's BYD Co Ltd , backed by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett, warned on Monday of a slowdown in car sales during the second half of the year and said it will launch new models to lessen the impact. Full Article

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