Mergers and acquisitions

Deutsche Bank and Commerzbank confirmed on Sunday they were in talks about a merger.

In this edition: can the EU compete with global companies with its current competition rules? A Franco-German rail sector merger is sewing division in Brussels. And the rest of the news in Brief - aid to Venezuela, Eurogroup accountability and from a critic to a convert.

Financial Times reports that the Italian and French banks are exploring a merger

Sainsbury's CEO Mike Coupe was left rather red-faced after being caught singing 'We're in the Money' just hours after announcing the supermarket's plan to buy Asda.

A deal to create the biggest retailer in the UK is in the works.

It's the latest in a series of Chinese acquisitions of US companies to be blocked by CFIUS.

But the US government's lawsuit to block the merger sparks concerns the White House is trying to hurt Time Warner's CNN.

Trades unions warn merger of Alstom & Siemens' train businesses is loco & will cost jobs in France & Germany.

German industrial group Siemens and France's high-speed train maker Alstom have merged their rail assets, according to media reports.

Britain's Vodafone is to join Idea Cellular to become India's biggest telecoms business with 400 million customers, overtaking market leader Bharti.

A merger between the London Stock Exchange and Germany's Deutsche Boerse looks to be heading for collapse over competition issues.

Shares in Anglo-Dutch consumer goods group Unilever fell after US rival Kraft Heinz Co abruptly abandoned its surprise takeover proposal.

Household goods firm Unilever firmly rejects a surprise takeover bid from US food company Kraft Heinz saying it has no financial or strategic merit.

Britain's biggest supermarket chain Tesco is to buy food wholesaler Booker taking it into the market to supply the UK's cafes, restaurants and pubs.

British American Tobacco takeover of US firm Reynolds will create the world's biggest listed tobacco company, overtaking Philip Morris International.

Italy's Luxottica and France's Essilor see a merger in their future to create a global eyewear powerhouse worth 46 billion euros.

US telecoms giant AT&T says it has agreed to buy the Time Warner media and entertainment group for more than $85bn.

The biggest merger of the year may be announced on Sunday as AT&T seek to snap up Time Warner, but Apple is monitoring the situation and may step in.

Chinese firms Sinochem and ChemChina are reportedly talking about possibly merging to create a more competitive global industry player.

Brexit uncertainties hang over the merger between the London Stock Exchange and Germany's Deutsche Boerse even as LSE shareholders overwhelmingly voted for it.

Oilfield services provider Halliburton and smaller rival Baker Hughes have called off their merger in the face of opposition from US and European competition regulators.

A deal has been signed for the acquisition of Japan's Sharp Corporation by the Taiwanese company Foxconn