Reading Time: 5 minutes Reuters — As Bayer tries to settle U.S. lawsuits claiming that its Roundup herbicide causes cancer, the company is considering a proposal that would bar plaintiffs’ lawyers involved in the litigation from advertising for new clients, according to a person familiar with the matter. Bayer has said it is engaged in mediation to resolve the […] Read more
Bayer considers new tactic in Roundup settlement talks
ChemChina said close to striking deal for Syngenta
Reading Time: 3 minutes Reuters — China’s state-owned ChemChina is nearing a deal to buy Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta for around 43 billion Swiss francs (C$59.4 billion), two people familiar with the matter said on Tuesday. The deal, for roughly 470 Swiss francs (C$649) per share, would be the biggest cross-border deal involving a Chinese buyer and […] Read more
PotashCorp withdraws takeover bid for K+S
Reading Time: 2 minutes New York/Frankfurt | Reuters –– PotashCorp said Monday it had withdrawn its 7.9 billion euro (C$11.6 billion) offer for German potash producer K+S, citing a decline in global commodity and equity markets and a lack of engagement by K+S management. K+S shares dropped 24 per cent after Potash announced its decision in a statement, wiping […] Read more
K+S shares surge after PotashCorp takeover approach
Reading Time: 3 minutes Frankfurt | Reuters –– Shares in German potash miner K+S leapt as much as 40 per cent on Friday after a takeover proposal from Canada’s PotashCorp, which sources close to the matter said was worth close to eight billion euros (C$11 billion). K+S, which would become the first German blue-chip firm in a decade to […] Read more
Germany’s K+S seen likely to reject PotashCorp offer
Reading Time: < 1 minute Frankfurt | Reuters — Germany’s K+S will likely reject a seven billion-euro (C$9.7 billion) takeover offer from Canadian fertilizer group PotashCorp, a person familiar with the situation said Thursday. K+S’s management and board are still due to discuss the offer from Saskatoon-based PotashCorp, and a decision has not yet been taken, but at first sight […] Read more
Monsanto’s Syngenta gambit seen hinging on sale of seed businesses
Reading Time: 2 minutes London/Frankfurt | Reuters –– U.S. seeds giant Monsanto is trying to line up buyers for assets worth up to US$8 billion to appease competition authorities before making a fresh takeover approach for Swiss rival Syngenta, possibly within three weeks, industry sources said. Monsanto is expected to tap German chemicals group BASF, an existing joint venture […] Read more
Monsanto, Syngenta hire advisors on possible takeover
Reading Time: 3 minutes London/Frankfurt | Reuters –– Agricultural companies Monsanto and Syngenta are working with investment banks on a takeover deal that would create an industry behemoth with combined sales of more than US$31 billion, three sources familiar with the matter said. Swiss crop chemicals maker Syngenta is working with Goldman Sachs to assess the merits of a […] Read more
Major German bank pulls ag from fund on food fears
Reading Time: 3 minutes Germany’s Commerzbank has removed agricultural products from a commodity index fund after accusations that speculation has pushed up food prices and fuelled unrest in some poor countries. Commerzbank followed at least two other German banks in restricting investments in agriculture, while most banks and fund managers have defended investment in commodities, saying that price jumps […] Read more
A message from April Stewart, Country Guide's Associate Editor
