Article: Foreign investors fuel spike in mergers and acquisitions

NEW YORK -- Figures that point to an increase in merger and acquisition activity the past few months might seem to indicate that the credit crunch is easing and Wall Street is starting to return to a more normal business cycle.

But when one considers that recent headline-grabbing deals have mostly involved foreign companies bidding for industry icons like Genentech Inc. and Anheuser Busch Cos., such an optimistic view might be visible only through a pair of "beer goggles."

In reality, the rise in M&A, like recent investments in other U.S. industries such as financial services and real estate, more likely reflects foreign companies taking advantage of the weak dollar than it does a loosening ...

Related newspaper, magazine, and journal articles:

 
 
Newsweek Harper's Magazine The Washington Post Chicago Tribune Crain's Chicago Business PRNewswire Pediatric News The Nation Advertising Age The Economist (US) A FREE trial gives you access to over 80 million articles! Access over 6,500 publications with a FREE trial!