It’s a day later, and still no word of a deal between United Rentals and Cerberus to avoid a courtroom battle over the planned $4 billion buyout of the equipment rental company. Hopes that a trial could be avoided, after the two sides agreed to an extra day of talks, drove United Rental’s share 6 percent higher on Monday. Cerberus withdrew its $34.50-per-share takeover offer for United Rentals in November. United Rentals sued Cerberus in a bid to force the buyout firm to complete deal.
    Manor Care said it received key regulatory approval from the Pennsylvania Department of Health for its proposed $6.3 billion sale to private equity firm Carlyle Group. It is now seeking regulatory approval from just West Virginia, which refused Manor Care’s request for immediate approval of the buyout on Friday. Medtronic agreed to buy a 15 percent stake in China’s Shandong Weigao Group Medical Polymer for $221 million. The acquisition is part of a joint venture agreement to market Medtronic’s spinal products and Weigao’s orthopedic products in China. 
    Two of France Telecom’s domestic rivals look set to join forces and share investment costs, jeopardizing 9 years of European Commission efforts to push member states into liberalizing telecoms markets to boost competition. Neuf Cegetel said it had asked for its shares to be suspended, just 14 months after it floated on the Paris market, pending talks on its future between its two main owners, mobile operator SFR and trading house Louis Dreyfus. Africa’s top media group, Naspers, said it would buy UK Internet auction firm Tradus for 946 million pounds ($1.90 billion) to extend its reach into central and eastern Europe.