U.S. stocks up slightly after mega bank deal

11:40 am ET Apr 23, 2007

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U.S. stocks up slightly after mega bank deal

NEW YORK
U.S. stocks were up slightly on Monday, as investors weighed the need to
consolidate the previous week's strong gains against news of two mega
mergers, including the UK's Barclays Plc's plan to buy Dutch bank ABN
Amro Holdings NV for $91 billion, the biggest bank deal in history.

ABN Amro backs takeover by Barclays worth some $91 billion

LONDON
Dutch bank ABN Amro on Monday paved the way for the largest-ever banking
takeover, backing an offer lodged by Britain's Barclays valued at about
67 billion euros ($91.2 billion).

Bank of America to buy LaSalle for $21 bln; counterbid foreseen

LONDON
Bank of America said Monday it has reached an agreement to buy LaSalle
Bank Corp. for $21 billion, a deal that would help the No. 2 U.S. bank
meet its chief executive's longtime goal of establishing a presence in
Chicago, the heart of the Midwest market.

AstraZeneca to buy MedImmune for $15.6 billion cash

LONDON
After a series of product-pipeline setbacks, drugmaker AstraZeneca on
Monday agreed to pony up $15.6 billion for MedImmune, the U.S.
biopharmaceutical company that investor Carl Icahn pressured to put
itself on the block.

Sarkozy set to win French presidency, polls indicate

LONDON
With less than two weeks to go before the runoff for the French
presidency, conservative Nicolas Sarkozy has built a significant lead
over his socialist opponent Ségolène Royal, according to a new poll
published Monday.