French and Benelux stocks - Factors to watch on April 15
PARIS, April 15 (Reuters) - Below are leading stories from French and Benelux newspapers and company-related news which could have an impact on the region's markets or individual stocks.
PERNOD RICARD (PERP.PA)
Pernod Ricard launched a 1.04 billion euro rights issue at a 36 percent discount. Shareholders can subscribe to 3 new shares at 26.70 euros each for every 17 shares held. The company added that nine-month sales rose 9 percent to 5.56 billion euros and reiterated its earnings guidance for the full year. [PERP.PA-E]
SANOFI-AVENTIS (SASY.PA)
Sanofi-Aventis said it agreed to buy U.S. biopharmaceutical company BiPar Sciences. The price depends on milestone payments but could reach a maximum $500 million, it said. [SASY.PA-E]
EDF (EDF.PA)
French electricity provider EDF said it had received approval from Chinese authorities to buy a 35 percent stake in a joint venture to operate two units of a supercritical coal burning power plant. [ID:nLE564778]
BUREAU VERITAS (BVI.PA)
Bureau Veritas named Frederic Lemoine as chairman of its supervisory board. [BVI.PA]
DANONE (DANO.PA)
Danone and Wadia Group agreed to end their existing joint venture relationships in India, Danone said, adding that it would pursue its business interests in India independently. As part of this agreement, Danone has sold its 50 percent interest in ABI Holdings Ltd to Wadia Group. [DANO.PA]
BENETEAU (CHBE.PA)
French boat maker Beneteau said fiscal first-half sales fell 46.7 percent as the financial crisis caused the market to collapse by around half. [ID:nLE536398]
ASML (ASML.AS)
Dutch chip equipment maker ASML posted a first-quarter net loss of 117 million euros. [ID:n3917]
BARCO (BAR.BR)
Belgian display and visual systems company Barco said on Tuesday it had been chosen to supply Belgian national broadcaster RTBF with its networked broadcast monitoring system. [ID:nLF383816]
KINEPOLIS (KIPO.BR)
Belgium's antitrust prosecutors reopened their probe of Belgian cinema operator Kinepolis following an appeal by rival UGC. [KIPO.BR]
