House of Fraser, a 160-year-old department store chain based in UK, expects a floatation by the end of 2014. The British retailer however remains in exclusive talks with French peer Galeries Lafayette on a possible buyout.

Australia-based protective clothing manufacturer Ansell Ltd has completed the purchase of US-based firm BarrierSafe Solutions International in a deal valued at $615 million (A$692.29 million).

Joseph Lieberman, a former US senator from Connecticut and onetime vice-presidential candidate, will join private equity firm Victory Park Capital Advisors LLC as chairman of its executive board.

California, US-based security company FireEye purchased Virginia-based firm Mandiant for $1 billion in the biggest security deal of 2013.

New York, US-based media valuation platform Integral Ad Science has raised $30 million in a Series D funding round led by August Capital, according to a disclosed regulatory filing.

French unions led by the National Union of Autonomous Trade Unions (UNSA) have called on Lufthansa France workers at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris to go on strike this weekend. Workers are protesting against outsourcing ground operations, which would threaten 199 jobs.

Geo Renewables SA, backed by private equity fund EnerCap Power Fund I LP, said it was granted $55.4 million in debt by Polish lender Bank Ochrony Srodowishka SA. The said fund will be used to finance part of the construction costs of two Polish wind farms.

Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc and retailer Macy's Inc on Thursday announced the settlement of a lawsuit it filed against the former over a partnership deal with department store chain J.C. Penney Co Inc in 2011.

CEZ Group, a utility conglomerate based in Prague, could ink a $10 billion deal to expand the Temelin nuclear power plant some time in the second quarter of 2015. CEZ is in talks with US' Westinghouse and a consortium that includes Russia's Atomstroyexport, according to a Reuters report.

TV and film company 21st Century Fox on Thursday announced that it would put up for sale its 47% stake in Star China TV for an undisclosed sum. The said stake will be bought by private equity firm China Media Capital and the TV channel operator's management.

Cyprotex, a drug testing company based in the UK, on Thursday announced that it had purchased American rival CeeTox. Cyprotex will initially pay £630,000 to the North American Science Associates for CeeTox.

Zyden Gentec Ltd.'s shares fell by 5% to INR15.25 per share after Punjab National Bank's recent stake sale. PNB had sold 335,141 of its shares in the pharmaceutical company, which represents a 3% equity ownership.

Dangote Industries Ltd, Alhaji Aliko Danagote's holding company, has up till October 26 to sell down or dilute its stake in cement manufacturer Dangote Cement PLC. The reduction in shareholding will enable the cement company to comply with flotation regulations in Nigeria's bourse.

Debenhams PLC, Britain's second-largest department store chain, on Thursday announced the resignation of its chief financial officer Simon Herrick. Herrick had quit his post two days after the retail chain issued its second profit warning in less than a year.

ARX Equity Partners, a private equity firm based in Czech Republic, has sold its controlling stake in film extruder Ergis-Eurofilms SA. Ergis claims to be the largest film extrusion group in the country.

New York-based mass media company AOL Inc. reportedly sold media player Winamp and music service Shoutcast to Belgian online radio stations aggregator Radionomy. The deal is expected to be closed by the end of the week, said a TechSpot report.

Google Inc., which acquired startup Bump Technologies last year for $30 million to $60 million, will end the operations of smartphone file-sharing app Bump and photo-aggregating software Flock on January 31.

New York-based cosmetics company Revlon, which has posted profit declines in 2011 and 2012, will close its operations in China, cutting at least 1,100 jobs. News of the shutdown came a few months after Revlon bought Spanish beauty care company Colomer Group.

Cargo airline Evergreen International Airlines Inc. on December 31 filed for bankruptcy protection in the US Bankruptcy Court in Wilmington, Delaware. Seven other Evergreen affiliates also sought Chapter 7 protection.

Northern & Shell, the owner of Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd., is reportedly considering to put up the TV broadcaster for sale for £700 million. Northern & Shell acquired Channel 5 for £103.5 million in 2010.

Al Noor Hospitals Group announced it has shelled out an initial cash consideration of AED80 million ($21.8 million) to acquire Gulf International Cancer Centre (GICC) in Abu Dhabi.

BlackRock Inc's Asia Property Fund III is exiting its Westin hotel in Singapore to Tokyo-based property developer Daisho Group in a deal valued at S$468 million ($369 million).

Illinois-based snack company Mondelez International Inc has entered an agreement to sell a controlling stake in its cookie and cracker business, SnackWell's, to Connecticut-based private equity firm Brynwood Partners for an undisclosed amount.

Dubai-based construction company Arabtec Holding had no plans to up its stake in interior contracting firm Depa, according to a statement made by Arabtec to Dubai's bourse.

Australia-based boutique funds management company Paradice Investment Management has acquired a 5.14% stake in electronics retailer Dick Smith, according to a document filed with the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX).

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Colorado, US-based plastic clogs maker Crocs Inc is set to retire, and Blackstone Group LP will acquire a $200-million convertible preferred stock in the struggling shoemaker.

The initial public offering (IPO) pipeline of Australia is set to improve along with merger and acquisition activity in 2014 despite poor performances this year, according to investment bank UBS.

China Postal Express and Logistics Co Ltd (EMS), the biggest integrated logistics service provider in China announced on Friday the withdrawal of its application for an initial public offering (IPO).

Social media accounts and internet downloads should be considered part of a person's estate and be included in wills to be handed down as inheritance.

Perth, Australia-based mining firm Mirabela Nickel Ltd secured a $45-million (A$50.7-million) loan from its note holders in an interim financing deal as the Rothschild Capital Funds looks for investors for the troubled miner.