Merck 2017 forecast eases concerns over royalty payments, dollar
(Reuters) – Merck & Co Inc reported better-than-expected U.S. quarterly sales for its key cancer drug, Keytruda, and forecast largely in-line 2017 results, which some analysts said allayed concerns over the impact of a strong dollar and royalty payments.
Reckitt Benckiser in talks to buy Mead Johnson for $16.7 billion
(Reuters) – Reckitt Benckiser Group Plc is in advanced talks to buy Mead Johnson Nutrition Co in a $16.7 billion deal that would take the British consumer goods maker into the baby formula market and boost its business outside Europe.
EU set to approve ChemChina’s $43 billion bid for Syngenta: sources
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – ChemChina [CNNCC.UL] is set to secure conditional EU antitrust approval for its $43 billion bid for Swiss pesticides and seeds group Syngenta , the largest foreign acquisition by a Chinese company, two people familiar with the matt…
Panasonic says its avionics business being probed by U.S. authorities
TOKYO (Reuters) – Panasonic Corp said on Thursday its avionics unit is being investigated by U.S. authorities under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and that it has recently begun talks with U.S. officials to resolve the matter.
Irish calculation similar to EU on Apple tax estimate: minister
DUBLIN (Reuters) – The European Commission’s estimate that Apple owes Ireland up to 13 billion euros ($14 billion) in a disputed tax ruling is unlikely to be altered greatly by Dublin’s calculations, the Irish finance minister said on Thursday.
Oil up as OPEC cuts outweigh rise in U.S. stocks
LONDON (Reuters) – Oil prices rose on Thursday as evidence that OPEC and other big exporters were cutting production outweighed a sharp rise in U.S. crude and gasoline stockpiles.
Sony rules out pictures biz sale, committed to turnaround
TOKYO (Reuters) – Sony Corp on Thursday said it does not plan to sell its pictures business after suffering a $1 billion writedown, and instead aims to turn it around by adding sales channels and making more use of movie characters.
German prosecutors investigate Deutsche Boerse chief
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – German police and prosecutors investigating possible insider trading by the head of Deutsche Boerse have searched the office and apartment of the man who is leading a planned merger with the London Stock Exchange .
Exclusive: Japan considers buying more U.S. energy as Abe prepares to meet Trump
TOKYO (Reuters) – Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is considering increasing energy imports from the United States, two sources familiar with the plan told Reuters, as he prepares to meet President Donald Trump, who has complained about Japan’s trade…
Non-committal Fed drives down dollar, dampens stocks
LONDON (Reuters) – The dollar slipped to a 12-week low on Thursday and stock and bonds markets both showed caution after the U.S. Federal Reserve stuck to its mildly upbeat view of the world but gave no hint on when it will next raise interest rates.
