Akzo may raise ICI offer to $16.3 bln - paper

(Reuters) - Akzo, which said on Monday it had teamed up with German
consumer products group Henkel , could increase its
bid to between 665 and 670 pence per share for ICI or 8 billion
pounds, The Financial Times said. It did not cite any sources.




An Akzo spokesman reiterated that Akzo, the maker of Crown
paints, and ICI were still in talks, but declined further
comment.


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US STOCKS-Wall St gains on earnings optimism

(Reuters) - NEW YORK, July 16 - U.S. stocks rose on Monday,
with the Dow closing in on the 14,000 milestone, lifted by
earnings optimism and speculation Verizon Communications
could be a takeover target.




Shares of Verizon rose after a Financial Times blog said
Vodafone Group was considering a $160 billion takeover
bid for the U.S. wireless operator. Vodafone denied the report,
but Verizon shares rose 2.2 percent to $42.66.


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Vodafone CDS recover as Verizon bid denied

(Reuters) - Vodafone's CDS traded 1.5 basis points wider on the day at 31.5 basis points by 1220 GMT, a trader said, having previously hit a high of 35 basis points.



Earlier on Monday, the Financial Times reported on its Alphaville Web site that Vodafone had been considering a $160 billion bid for Verizon.


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GE, Pearson drop DJ takeover pursuit

(Reuters) - GE controls NBC Universal, which operates top U.S. business cable news channel CNBC.




"Following these discussions, GE and Pearson have decided not to pursue this combination," GE said in a statement. "Pearson and NBC Universal continue to discuss cooperative agreements between CNBC and the Financial Times Group."


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GE/Pearson consider Dow Jones bid

(Reuters) - One possibility being considered could see the controlling
Bancrofts keep an interest in Dow Jones, which owns the Wall
Street Journal, that source said. That confirmed earlier
reports by the Financial Times and the Wall Street Journal.




General Electric owns the CNBC business television channel,
and faces competition from News Corp., which is
launching a business news channel of its own. Pearson owns the
pink-paged business paper the Financial Times and competes with
the Wall Street Journal.


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