Wednesday December 3, 07:08 AM
French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch on Dec 3
PARIS, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Below are leading stories from French and Benelux newspapers and company-related news which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.
EDF
EDF (Paris: FR0010242511 - news) offered to buy a 50 percent stake in Constellation Energy Group Inc's nuclear business for $4.5 billion, in an attempt to scuttle a $4.7 billion takeover by Warren Buffett's MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co. EDF, the world's largest nuclear utility, said on Wednesday the deal would also include an option for Constellation to sell up to $2 billion in non-nuclear power assets to the utility.
Power produced by EDF's Flamanville EPR nuclear reactor will cost around 20 percent more than planned, Les Echos newspaper reported, citing several sources. The company could not immediately be reached for comment.
TOTAL
Shares in Canada's Nexen Inc (NXY.TO - news) jumped by nearly a third on Tuesday as a report said that French oil major Total is poised to make a C$19.7 billion ($15.8 billion) offer for Canada's No. 4 independent oil explorer. A Total spokesman said the company does not comment on market rumours.
BOUYGUES
French construction and telecoms conglomerate Bouygues SA (Paris: FR0000120503 - news) reaffirmed its full-year sales target on Tuesday as it posted a 1 percent slide in current EBIT in the third quarter.
NEOPOST
Postal equipment company Neopost (Paris: FR0000120560 - news) on Tuesday confirmed its targets for 2008 and 2009 after posting third quarter sales 3.8 percent higher year-on-year.
EADS (Paris: NL0000235190 - news)
The North American unit of Europe's EADS has won a $208 million firmed, fixed-price contract to build 39 more light utility helicopters for the U.S. Army, the Pentagon announced on Tuesday. The contract runs through the end of August 2010.
ESSILOR INTERNATIONAL
Essilor, which makes corrective eye lenses, said on Wednesday it had cancelled 1,600,000 shares to offset the dilutive impact of Oceane bond conversions and the company's stock option plans.
ASMI
Management of the chip equipment maker and activist investors are seeking a compromise to avoid an investigation by the Commercial Court as the deadline to report back to the court nears, Dutch daily Het Financieele Dagblad reports.
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ASML
The world's top maker of semiconductor lithography machines expects a wave of consolidation among its clients, Chief Financial Officer Peter Wennink tells Het Financieele Dagblad.
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DUTCH BANKS
Dutch depositors shifted more than 60 billion euros ($76.3 billion), a quarter of the country's total deposits, from one bank to another in October, daily De Telegraaf reports, citing official figures.
SOLVAY
Solvay Pharmaceuticals Inc does not need to develop additional tests to screen out three viruses from its pancreatic enzyme drug Creon, which is made from pig glands, a U.S. advisory panel said on Tuesday. So far it is unclear whether people taking the drug could get sick from the three animal viruses -- porcine parvovirus, and two types of porcine circovirus -- so more tests are not warranted, the Food and Drug Administration panel of outside advisers said.
FORTIS (Amsterdam: FORAL.AS - news)
Shareholders in Brussels reject proposed new chairman for the troubled financial group, scuppering plans to bring in a new board.
BARCO (Brussels: BAR.BR - news)
The Belgian display and visual systems company will reduce its workforce by about 200 people worldwide, 130 of whom will leave the company this month. The news comes after Barco said in June that it would cut an initial 113 jobs.
For a a diary of top European results and forecasts For the Itraxx Europe CDS index see For blue-chip stocks news see For small- and mid-cap stocks news see
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Main stock markets:
Dow Jones (news) ............... Wall Street report .....
Nikkei 225 (news) ............. Tokyo report............
FTSE 100............... London report...........
Xetra DAX............. Frankfurt market stories
CAC-40................. Paris market stories...
World Indices...................................
______________________________________________________ Reuters survey of world bourse outlook.......... Western European IPO diary........................... European Asset Allocation......................... Reuters News at a Glance (GLCE.PK - news) : Equities............... Main currency report:...............................
Keywords: MARKETS FRANCE BENELUX/STOCKS Keywords: MARKETS FRANCE BENELUX/STOCKS Keywords: MARKETS FRANCE BENELUX/STOCKS
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