European Stocks May Rise on Mergers; ABN Amro, Friends Provident May Gain

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks may advance after
Barclays Plc raised its offer for ABN Amro Holding NV to 67.5
billion euros ($93.4 billion) and Friends Provident Plc held talks
with Resolution Plc, according to people familiar with the matter.

Siemens AG might be active after Handelsblatt reported the
region's largest engineering company received bids for its VDO unit.
TomTom NV, the world's largest maker of car navigation devices, said
it intends to buy Tele Atlas NV.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

U.K. Benchmark Index Falls, Paced by Lonmin, BHP Billiton; Barclays Gains

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks fell for the first time
in three days, led by Lonmin Plc after the mining company said it
will delay the sale of as much as 90,000 ounces of platinum. BHP
Billiton Plc and Xstrata Plc slid as copper retreated.

Barclays Plc paced advancing shares after Royal Bank of
Scotland Plc sweetened its 71.1 billion euro ($98.1 billion)
offer for ABN Amro Holding NV. GlaxoSmithKline Plc and BT Group
Plc advanced after brokerages raised their recommendation for the
companies' shares.


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U.K.'s FTSE 100 Gains for Third Day; Barclays, Vodafone Rise, Lonmin Falls

(Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks rose for a third day, led
by Barclays Plc after Royal Bank of Scotland Plc sweetened its
71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for ABN Amro Holding NV.

GlaxoSmithKline Plc and BT Group Plc advanced after brokerages
raised their recommendation for the companies' shares. Vodafone
Group Plc climbed on speculation the company is the front-runner to
become Apple's Inc's regional partner for the iPhone.


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European Stocks Advance, Led by ABN Amro, Barclays, RBS, BT Group

(Bloomberg) -- European stocks rose for a third day,
led by ABN Amro Holding NV after Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc
sweetened its 71.1 billion-euro ($98.1 billion) offer for the
Dutch lender, seeking to trump Barclays Plc.

Barclays also climbed. BT Group Plc advanced after Merrill
Lynch & Co. upgraded the stock.


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TPG, Affinity Partners Seek Asia's First Covenant-Lite Loan, People Say

(Bloomberg) -- TPG Inc. and Affinity Equity Partners
Ltd. plan Asia's first loan that provides banks with minimal
protection to fund their S$2.2 billion ($1.4 billion) buyout of
Singapore's United Test & Assembly Center Ltd., said two people
with direct knowledge of the transaction.

The firms hired JPMorgan Chase & Co., ABN Amro Holding NV
and Merrill Lynch & Co. to arrange $1.25 billion of bonds and
loans, including the first so-called covenant-lite structure in
the region, said the people, who declined to be named because
the information isn't public. Covenant-lite loans have less
protection for lenders than other bank debt.


Read more at Bloomberg Bonds News