DOW + 47 = 17,131
SPX + 2 = 2017
NAS + 8 = 4838
10 YR YLD closed
OIL – 2.10 = 47.53
GOLD + 7.50 = 1164.90
SILV – .01 = 15.92
The Dow Industrials posted a gain for the seventh consecutive session, and ninth gain in the past 10 sessions. During the rally, the Dow has gained 1,130 points. Crude oil futures settled 5.1 percent lower after gaining almost 9 percent last week. The dollar was down slightly.
Dell and private-equity firm Silver Lake will buy EMC Corp. for roughly $67 billion in cash and stock, marking one of the largest technology-industry takeovers ever. The $33.15 a share price tag represents a 19% premium over Friday's closing price. EMC also owns about an 80% stake in VMware, which will remain a publicly traded company. EMC holders will receive $24.05 a share in cash and in addition to tracking stock linked to a portion of EMC's economic interest in the VMware business. VMware has a market value of about $33 billion.
The Dell deal is the largest in tech history, and it may be the biggest tech deal in terms of debt. Dell will add about $50 billion in debt to complete its proposed acquisition, bringing the closely held company's total debt to about $60 billion.
Budweiser must really like Miller. Anheuser Busch InBev upped the ante again, making its fourth bid in the past few weeks for SABMiller, saying it's willing to pay $103 billion in cash and stock. Under British takeover rules Anhesuer Busch InBev must make a formal offer by Wednesday or sit on the sidelines for at least 6 months. SABMiller, the world's second largest brewer, has rejected three prior proposals since news first emerged in September that Anheuser-Busch InBev was interested in a merger.
The deal, if it were to be completed, would create a combined company with $64 billion in annual revenue that commands 30 percent of global beer sales. Any deal between the brewing giants would most likely face significant regulatory scrutiny.
Separately, the Justice Department is investigating allegations that Anheuser-Busch InBev is trying to cut competition by buying distributors, making it harder for fast-growing craft brewers to get their products on store shelves. In the past few months, A-B InBev has made deals for five distributors in three states. Many states require brewers to use distributors to sell their product, and once AB InBev buys a distributor, craft companies say they find that they can't distribute their beer as easily and sales growth stalls.
A demonstration in Berlin on Saturday involved hundreds of thousands of protesters against the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership being negotiated between the U.S and EU. The broad trade accord is seen as picking up momentum following last week's Trans-Pacific Partnership deal, along with some gentle nudging from large multinationals. Groups in Europe are taking issue with TTIP's lack of transparency and the potential impact on labor and safety.
