LEVERKUSEN, Germany, (Reuters) – German drugs and pesticides company Bayer was at pains to quell expectations last week that it was nearing an out-of-court settlement laying to rest claims its glyphosate-based weedkillers cause cancer. Bayer said after publishing its earnings outlook for 2020 it was in no rush to reach terms with plaintiffs’ lawyers and […] Read more
Stories by Ludwig Burger
Bayer says Monsanto’s list of influential people was not illegal
FRANKFURT, (Reuters) – Bayer said a law firm it commissioned to investigate lists compiled by Monsanto of European journalists, politicians and researchers had found no evidence of illegal behaviour. French prosecutors in May opened an inquiry after newspaper Le Monde filed a complaint alleging Monsanto, which was bought by Bayer for $63 billion, had kept […] Read more
Bayer lifted by likely new trial in $289 million glyphosate case
SAN FRANCISCO/FRANKFURT, Oct 11 (Reuters) – The prospect of a fresh trial that could overturn $289 million damages against Bayer’s Monsanto unit lifted the German company’s shares, after an August ruling that it failed to warn users of the alleged cancer risks of its weedkillers. The original verdict wiped 10 percent off the value of […] Read more
Bayer wins U.S. nod for Monsanto deal to create agriculture giant
FRANKFURT/WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Bayer won U.S. approval for its planned takeover of Monsanto after agreeing to sell about $9 billion in assets, clearing a major hurdle for the $62.5 billion deal that will create by far the largest seeds and pesticides maker. Makan Delrahim, who heads the U.S. Justice Department’s (DoJ) Antitrust Division, said the […] Read more
Incoming BASF boss rules out DowDuPont-style break-up
FRANKFURT (Reuters) – The incoming boss of BASF has thrown his weight behind the chemical titan’s contentious strategy of keeping divergent businesses folded into one company, at a time when its major rivals such as DowDuPont are breaking themselves up. The comments from Martin Brudermueller, who will take over as CEO on Friday, provide clarity […] Read more
China bids US$43 billion for Syngenta
BASEL, Switzerland, (Reuters) – China made its boldest overseas takeover move when state-owned ChemChina agreed a US $43 billion bid for Swiss seeds and pesticides group Syngenta on Wednesday, aiming to improve domestic food production. The largest ever foreign purchase by a Chinese firm, announced by both companies, will accelerate a shake-up in global agrochemicals […] Read more
