Before the Bell: Pfizer chasing AstraZeneca for potential $100 billion deal

	Click to View in Browser 04/28/2014 Pfizer chasing AstraZeneca for potential $100 billion deal LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. drugmaker Pfizer Inc is working on its next move in a potential $100 billion battle for Britain's AstraZeneca Plc after having two bids rejected, as deal-making grips the healthcare industry. France says could block Alstom deal as president meets GE PARIS (Reuters) - France will block any deal involving engineering group Alstom it considers unfit, Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said ahead of a meeting between President Francois Hollande and General Electric's chief executive to discuss Alstom's future. Futures rebound from Friday drop, pending home sales on tap NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday, rebounding from sharp losses on Friday, boosted by merger and acquisition activity in the pharmaceuticals sector. Comcast offers to shed customers to win TWC approval (Reuters) - Comcast Corp offered to sell 1.4 million pay TV subscribers to Charter Communications Inc for $7.3 billion, as part of a wider transaction aimed at winning regulatory approval for its proposed $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable. BofA suspends stock buyback, dividend increase (Reuters) - Bank of America Corp said it would suspend its $4 billion stock buyback program and the planned increase in its quarterly dividend after it miscalculated the treatment of certain structured notes related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch in 2009. Exclusive: Sinopec stalls petrochemical build-up as U.S. competition grows BEIJING (Reuters) - China's top refiner Sinopec Corp is scaling back billions of dollars in petrochemical investments in the face of growing U.S. competition in the sector and rising local opposition to oil and gas plants over environmental concerns. Siemens to cut thousands of jobs as part of new strategy: report FRANKFURT (Reuters) - A new strategy to be unveiled by Siemens on May 7 will include thousands of job cuts, Germany's Manager Magazin Online reported on Monday, citing several senior Siemens managers. Boeing to ask Japanese firms to build a fifth of 777X: sources TOKYO (Reuters) - Boeing Co has lined up Japanese companies, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Kawasaki Heavy Industries , to build one-fifth of its latest plane, the 777X, retaining Japan as its key Asian partner in commercial jetliners, two sources with knowledge of the U.S. company's production plan said. Norwegian Air suspends talks to buy 20 new Boeing Dreamliners OSLO (Reuters) - Low-cost carrier Norwegian Air has put on hold talks to buy 20 new Dreamliners from Boeing because of a delay in receiving U.S. Department of Transportation approval for its long haul plans, Chief Executive Bjoern Kjos said in a letter. Obama praises business deals, touts U.S. enterprise KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) - President Barack Obama watched over the signing of three business deals in Malaysia on Monday, using the opportunity to promote U.S. commercial expertise during a four-country swing through Asia. Related Video Breakingviews: Siemens likely to beat GE to Alstom Obama's Philippines visit tests an old alliance Global Investing YouTube: A profitable channel for financial advisers Fund of hedge funds face fight for cash with consultants A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend