NEW YORK (Reuters) – Major technology companies seem to be launching multibillion-dollar acquisitions every other week, and those who don’t join the race may be at risk of getting run over.

Hewlett-Packard Co <HPQ.N> challenged Cisco Systems Inc <CSCO.O> this week by announcing a $3 billion deal for network equipment maker 3Com <COMS.O>. It came after Cisco stepped up its dealmaking and expanded into the server market to compete with HP, IBM <IBM.N> and Dell Inc <DELL.O>.

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard Co is making a move into the network equipment market by striking a $3.1 billion deal for 3Com Corp, in a major challenge to Cisco Systems Inc.

The deal is the latest sign that technology giants from IBM to Oracle Corp are increasingly encroaching in each other’s markets as they seek to become one-stop shops for computing, networking and data storage. Cisco itself this year pushed into the server market, of which HP is a major player.

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 11 (Reuters) – Hewlett-Packard
Co <HPQ.N> is making a move into the network equipment market
by striking a $3.1 billion deal for 3Com Corp <COMS.O>, in a
major challenge to Cisco Systems Inc <CSCO.O>.

The deal is the latest sign that technology giants from IBM
<IBM.N> to Oracle Corp <ORCL.O> are increasingly encroaching in
each other’s markets as they seek to become one-stop shops for
computing, networking and data storage. Cisco itself this year
pushed into the server market, of which HP is a major player.

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The European Commission has objected to Oracle Corp’s acquisition of computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc, throwing the $7 billion deal into question.

The commission said in a preliminary assessment that combining Sun’s MySQL database product and Oracle’s products could hurt competition in the database market, Sun said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The European Commission has objected to Oracle Corp’s acquisition of computer maker Sun Microsystems Inc, throwing the $7 billion deal into question.

The commission said in a preliminary assessment that combining Sun’s MySQL database product and Oracle’s products could hurt competition in the database market, Sun said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – U.S. network equipment maker Cisco Systems Inc <CSCO.O> faces a touch choice as the Monday deadline approaches for its $3 billion tender offer for Norwegian video conferencing company Tandberg ASA <TAA.OL>.

Investors holding about 30 percent of Tandberg’s shares have demanded a higher price than the 153.50 crowns ($26.93) per share that Cisco offered, which presumably means that the U.S. company will not get the 90 percent shareholder approval that it would need to close the acquisition.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc posted a stronger-than-expected profit for its fiscal first quarter and said business was recovering as customers are buying more network equipment again after cutting back for the past year.

Chief Executive John Chambers’ revenue forecast for the current quarter also exceeded Wall Street expectations, helping the shares rise 3.7 percent after-hours on Wednesday. He also said business conditions likely hit bottom in the early part of this year, its fiscal third quarter.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc posted a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit and signaled that recovery was well on its way, as businesses are investing in network equipment again after cutting back for the past year.

Chief Executive John Chambers gave a revenue forecast for the current quarter, its fiscal second, that topped Wall Street expectations and said that business conditions had hit bottom at least six months ago. Shares of Cisco rose 3.7 percent.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc’s <CSCO.O> $3 billion takeover bid for Norwegian company Tandberg ASA <TAA.OL> is facing increased opposition, with investors owning as much as 30 percent of the video conferencing company’s shares now demanding more money.

Investment adviser OppenheimerFunds, on behalf of funds and accounts owning a 5.78 percent stake in Tandberg, said on Wednesday that it will not agree to sell their 6.48 million shares to Cisco at the current offer price of 153.50 crowns per share.

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Cisco Systems Inc <CSCO.O> said on Monday it has agreed to buy the set-top box business of Hong Kong-based DVN (Holdings) Ltd <0500.HK> for as much as $44.5 million, as the world’s top network equipment maker continues its acquisition spree.

The move, Cisco’s first acquisition aimed at the Chinese market, also shows the company stepping up investment in a fast-growing market where it faces competition from rivals like Huawei Technologies Co Ltd <HWT.UL>. DVN sells digital broadcasting equipment and services in China.