Bhinneka News Online: Reuters Before the Bell: Stock futures gain on rising tax bill hopes, corporate dealmaking

Monday, 18 December 2017

Reuters Before the Bell: Stock futures gain on rising tax bill hopes, corporate dealmaking

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Monday, December 18, 2017

Stock futures gain on rising tax bill hopes, corporate dealmaking

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were higher on Monday, set to push Wall Street to new records, buoyed as the long-awaited tax overhaul plan looked set for legislation and by a flurry of year-end dealmaking topping $10 billion so far.

Saudi Aramco hires Citi to lead $2 billion UK-backed loan: sources

LONDON/DUBAI (Reuters) - Saudi Aramco [IPO-ARMO.SE] has appointed U.S. investment bank Citi to lead a $2 billion financing backed by Britain, sources familiar with the deal said.

Campbell Soup to buy snacks maker Snyder's-Lance for $4.87 billion

(Reuters) - Campbell Soup Co will buy Pretzels and Cape Cod chips maker Snyder's-Lance Inc for $4.87 billion as it looks to expand its snack business amid sagging soup sales.

U.S. tax cut outlook drives stocks but dents dollar

LONDON (Reuters) - Global stock markets hit record highs on Monday on expectations that a U.S. tax bill could soon pass, though a more cautious reading of the draft law's prospects among currency traders put the dollar under pressure.

Hershey to buy SkinnyPop parent Amplify Snack for $1.6 billion

(Reuters) - Hershey Co said on Monday it would buy SkinnyPop popcorn maker Amplify Snack Brands in a deal valued at $1.6 billion, including debt, to bolster its healthy snacks unit.

CSX falls on CEO death; investors seek turnaround clarity

(Reuters) - CSX Corp's shares slipped more than 5 percent on Monday on news of Chief Executive Hunter Harrison's death, leaving investors worried about the No.3 U.S. railroad's turnaround plan under acting CEO Jim Foote.

Bitcoin hits bigger stage as exchange giant CME launches futures

NEW YORK/SYDNEY (Reuters) - Bitcoin futures received a lukewarm reception at its launch on the CME Group Inc on Sunday, although market experts believe a recent rally in the cryptocurrency has further to go.

EU regulators to investigate Ikea's Dutch tax deals

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - EU state aid regulators will investigate whether Swedish furniture retailer Ikea's [IKEA.UL] tax arrangement with the Netherlands helped cut its tax bill - the latest crackdown on unfair tax deals between multinationals and EU countries.

Tiny stem cell companies close in on major heart disease goals

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The early hope that stem cell therapy would make the paralyzed walk, the blind see and cure diabetes have given way to a long list of failures, highlighted by early stem cell champion Geron Corp abandoning the field in 2011.

German Vonovia climbs property ladder with $6.1 billion Buwog deal

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Vonovia , Germany's biggest residential property company, has agreed to buy Austrian counterpart Buwog in a cash deal valuing the latter at 5.2 billion euros ($6.12 billion), the two companies said on Monday.