GS Infrastructure Partners, controlled by investment bank Goldman Sachs Group, has sold its 49% stake in FRS Capital Corp., the ultimate parent company of SSA Marine. SSA Marine is one of the world's largest privately held port operators.
North America
Ford CEO Alan Mulally ends Microsoft speculation, to stay with automaker through 2014
Ford Motor Co. chief executive Alan Mulally, once and for all, said that he will not replace Microsoft Corp.'s retiring CEO Steve Ballmer and will remain at the US automaker through 2014. Some prominent Microsoft investors had campaigned for Mulally's candidacy for the top job at the software giant.
AMP Capital completes $100M debt financing in US power plant
Sydney, Australia-based investment manager AMP capital invested $100 million in subordinated financing for the fully operational Astoria Project Partners power plant in New York, USA.
Taiwan's Eastern Media International bids for Carlyle's controlling stake in Eastern Broadcasting
Eastern Media International Corp., which currently owns a 30% stake in Eastern Broadcasting Co., is reportedly placing a bid to acquire Carlyle Group's entire 61% stake in Taiwan's largest broadcasting company.
Citizens Financial Group to exit retail branches in Chicago area to US Bancorp
Citizens Financial Group, a unit of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said it had agreed to exit its Chicago area retail branches and small business operations to US Bancorp.
Latest News
Sandvik, a high-technology engineering firm based in Sweden, has agreed to buy Texas-based Varel International Energy Services for a price tag of about $740 million.
Skillsoft Ltd., which provides electronic learning solutions to over 6,000 customers worldwide, is reportedly seeking a sale that would value it at $2 billion, including debt. Skillsoft is owned by private equity firms Berkshire Partners, Advent International Corp. and Bain Capital.
Bangalore, India-based startup Little Eye Labs confirmed that it has been bought by social media giant Facebook for an amount between the range $10 million and $15 million.
Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Co. is reportedly looking to sell its asset management business Russell Investments, citing that it is not a core part of its business. Russell Investments has $247 billion in assets under management.
Oracle said it had agreed to purchase Corente, a New Jersey-based cloud-services firm, pushing the technology giant further into the Internet age, The New York Times The Dealbook reported.
Chinese billionaire Chen Guangbiao has dialed back his bid to acquire The New York Times Co. over a week after making his interest public, saying that the level of difficulty is great. Times chairman Arthur Ochs Sulzberger Jr. recently said that the prestigious media company is not for sale.
Japan-based food and beverage giant Kirin Holdings Ltd has no plans to sell its 9.99% holding in Warrnambool Cheese and Butter Factory Ltd to Canadian firm Saputo Inc as it wants to secure a cheese supply agreement with the latter.
Chinese conglomerate Shenhua has dropped out from the bid for New South Wales (NSW) power generator Macquarie Generation (MacGen), leaving only three bidders, according to a report.
Gaming group Codere, which sought protection from creditors last week, got a 30-day extension on a €127 million ($173 million)loan due on January 5. Codere had €1.27 billion of debt as of last September.
