DealZone

Record amounts of cash and cheap financing have emboldened chief executives to sign off on deals aimed at boosting growth in a sluggish economy, helping push global dealmaking to a four-year high.

Deutsche Boerse and NYSE Euronext announced the creation of the world’s largest exchange operator, dodging political issues that could threaten completion of a deal. BBC News takes a step back and looks at what is driving exchanges’ urge to merge.

In what must count as the longest game of chicken ever, biotechnology company Genzyme and French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis, which is seeking to acquire it, are still haggling over price.

Foster’s pushed ahead with plans to split its beer and wine businesses, but it risked dampening bidder appetite for either unit by also reporting soft first-half profits.

Starbucks and Green Mountain Coffee Roasters are in partnership negotiations, a source close to the talks told Reuters. Green Mountain dominates the U.S. single-cup market with its Keurig brewer.

“Private-equity firms’ new way to seduce companies starts with an email,” reports the Wall Street Journal.