IT'S GOOD TO TALK: The two telecommunications giants are discussing a union in what analysts predict will be a new round of consolidation for equipment makers
Lucent Technologies Inc and French telecom equipment maker Alcatel SA are discussing a business merger in what could be the start of consolidation among the companies that help power telephone and Internet networks.

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TAKEOVER WARS: The German-based drugs behemoth will muster an offer of US$103 per share for Schering after it rejected an earlier bid by its rival firm Merck KgA
German pharmaceutical and chemical company Bayer AG said on Thursday it would make a 16.3 billion euro (US$19.5 billion) white-knight offer for Schering, whose management said it would accept the offer over a hostile bid from Merck KgA.

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Nintendo Co, the world's biggest maker of handheld video-game players, said a shortage of its DS portable video-game players in Japan may ease next month as the company adds more production capacity.

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Toshiba Corp won a patent lawsuit against South Korean rival Hynix Semiconductor Inc in a Tokyo court yesterday over patents for computer chips widely used in cellphones, digital cameras and portable music players.

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China yesterday rejected European accusations of shoe dumping, and its shoemakers were reportedly raising money to fight new import limits.

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Businesses should take a leading role in making "green" technology available to the average consumer, or governments will step in with heavy-handed environmental policies, experts said at a business and technology forum.

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