RAG Foundation chief Werner Mueller said the state-owned trust looks to reduce its stake in German chemicals and plastics manufacturer Evonik Industries to about 25%. RAG currently owns two thirds of Evonik.
Europe
Top deals of the day - bid, mergers and acquisitions
The following bids, mergers, acquisitions and disposals were reported on Friday including ITC Holdings, Dave & Buster, Time Warner Cable, Banca Etruria, Cube Capital, Cargolux, Simon Property and Versace.
2014 poised to be the year of Bitcoin, property, and other asset bubbles - report
Some industry observers believed excess liquidity spurred by central banks' economic monetary policies could result to asset bubbles in niche markets by year 2014.
Abu Dhabi Fund to develop Montenegro luxury resort
The the government of the United Arab Emirates through its Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) agreed to develop a luxury tourism resort in Montenegro, said Prime Minister Milo Dukanović in a statement published on his government's website.
Joint venture firms of Kalyani Group, Alstom gets approval from fair trade regulator
Fair trade regulator The Competition Commission of India said it has cleared the proposed merger of France's Alstom Power Holdings SA and domestic industrial player Kalyani Group.
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French alcoholic beverages company Remy Cointreau looks to form a partnership with India's largest winemaker Nashik Vintners Pvt. Ltd. Remy and Nashik Vintners are expected to launch an India-specific brand through the joint venture.
United Spirits could raise as much as £675 million ($1.1 billion) in the sale of Whyte & Mackay Scotch if it will include single malt Dalmore. Sources estimate that Whyte & Mackay's exit, excluding Dalmore, is worth £450 million.
Italy's state backed Fondo Strategico Italiano (FSI) and private equity firm CCMP Capital are leading the race to secure a minority stake in Italian luxury goods group Versace.
London-based leveraged buyout firm CVC Capital Partners Ltd told investors it plans to exit its remaining stake in North American travel chain Pilot Travel Centers LLC.
Debt-ridden fishing firm Pescanova SA is weighing a buyout offer from a consortium led by US private equity firm KKR & Co. The KKR & Co consortium, which includes investment firm Ergon Capital Partners and existing shareholders Luxempart and Damm, offered to acquire Pescanova for an undisclosed sum.
The European Union through its European Banking Authority expressed warning similar to China, Germany and Norway regarding the risks associated in using Bitcoins as payment.
A report by Reuters said the financial crisis had shifted consumer spending habits in the UK from making bulk purchases in superstores to frequent small purchases in nearby small shops, prompting major grocers to change focus of their capital investment to the new consumer trend to attract potential investors.
According to Bloomberg, chemical firm BASF said it will be selling some North Sea oil and gas assets to MOL Hungarian Oil & Gas in a deal worth $375 million.
RSA Insurance Group Chief Executive Officer Simon Lee resigned as the insurance company boosted its Irish reserves to £130 million or $212 million, Bloomberg reported.
