China: Nestlé is considering a bid for Chinese confectionery company Hsu Fu Chi. Hsu Fu Chi said it was in preliminary discussions with the Swiss food giant "in relation to a possible transaction relating to the company, which may or may not lead to an offer being made". Hsu Fu Chi is worth around $2.6bn and makes peanut candies, pop jellies and sachima rice snacks.
Spain: Carrefour listed its Spanish discount chain Dia on the Madrid Stock Exchange this week. It started trading at 3.45 per share, fractionally below a 3.50 price set last week. Dia is the world's third-biggest discount chain behind Aldi and Lidl.
US: Walmart has donated $4m and has pledged to raise an additional $1m towards New York City's youth employment summer programme. The donation has sparked criticism because Walmart plans to open its first stores in the city later this year. However, mayor Michael Bloomberg told the Wall Street Journal: "Walmart's a good corporate citizen. I don't see how you do your company's philanthropy without saying it's connected to everything. Everything is always connected."
Australia: Shares in Treasury Wine Estates hit a record high this week amid reports that China's Bright Food Group was considering a takeover bid for the company. Treasury Wine Estates, which is the former wine division of Foster's, declined to confirm or deny the approach but Bright Food said it was not considering a bid. "We have not been negotiating with the Australian company and have not considered any plans to buy it," a spokesman said.
Russia: Intertorg is to open a chain of Spar supermarkets in North-West Russia. It has signed a licensing agreement with Spar International granting it exclusive rights to use the Spar brand in the region. "We plan on opening 20 new stores, including two Spar supermarkets with retail areas of 7,000 to 9,000 sq ft, by the end of the summer," said Anton Belovetsky, Intertorgs's coordinator for the Spar project. As many as 10 to 12 stores are expected to open within the first year.
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