Billionaire Joseph Lewis has raised his stake in Bear Stearns to 8.01 percent. He took a 7 percent stake in Bear in September, snapping up $860.4 million worth of the investment bank’s sagging stock to become one of its largest shareholders in less than a month. Expect the current market turmoil to unleash a wave of bank mergers in the U.S. and Germany, JP Morgan Chairman and Chief Executive Jamie Dimon (Pictured left) told a German newspaper on Friday.

Macrovision’s $2.8 billion deal for Gemstar-TV Guide means “consumers will be able to pull up a guide on their TV and receive personalized content and information regarding their favorite TV shows, read movie reviews before purchasing or renting a film, view personal photos, or tap into their music library,” according to the news release. 

Shares in mining group Xstrata topped European gainers on talk of a bid from rival Anglo American. Speculation linking the two companies has swirled in the UK markets since last week.

Credit Suisse has signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a strategic relationship with China’s Founder Securities in a move aimed at expanding its investment banking business in the world’s fastest-growing major capital market. The venture expects to underwrite domestic initial public offerings of shares by local Chinese firms and to offer corporate advisory and research services.

An activist fund backed by billionaire financier Carl Icahn said it had bought a stake of almost 3 percent in Munich Re, one of Germany’s biggest companies. “We think there is good potential in the company,” Lars Forberg, co-founder and managing partner of Cevian Capital, told Reuters.

An investment group led by veteran troubleshooter Luqman Arnold made a long-awaited rescue proposal for Northern Rock, as U.S. buyout firm JC Flowers pulled out of the bidding.

Australian healthcare firm Healthscope said it raised its interest in former bid target Symbion Health Ltd to 10.96 percent, in a move to have some say in Symbion’s future.