NYSE Euronext and Deutsche Börse could yet see their proposed US$17 billion merger approved after a key member of the European Commission yesterday requested more time to make his decision.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has announced it will not seek a Supreme Court judgment on its monopolisation case against pharmaceutical company Lundbeck, marking the end of a protracted antitrust battle.

South Africa’s Competition Commission blocked a vertical merger in the chemical mining sector yesterday, prompting suggestions that the authority’s approach is becoming increasingly cautious.

A US public interest group has written to the European Commission, calling for it to block Google’s proposed US$12.5 billion takeover of Motorola Mobility.

South Africa’s Competition Commission has recommended that the country’s tribunal prohibit the merger of two hospital operators, saying it would substantially lessen competition in the Durban health care market.

France’s Competition Authority has cleared a merger which will create the country’s second-largest sugar company.

The European Commission has restarted its investigation of the US$12.5 billion merger between Google and Motorola Mobility.

Namibia’s Competition Commission has approved the takeover of the world’s fourth-largest uranium deposit by Taurus Mineral, a subsidiary of state-owned China Guangdong Nuclear Power Holding Company (CGNPC).

The European Commission has opened an in-depth investigation of the proposed acquisition of Italian ferry company Tirrenia by joint venture Compagnia Italiana di Navigazione (CIN), a transaction complicated by a state-aid probe and a cartel investigation of some of the buyers.

Recycled packaging maker DS Smith has agreed to buy its competitor SCA Packaging for €1.6 billion.

Mexican mobile company Grupo Iusacell has expressed concern that the country’s Federal Competition Commission (CFC) will reject its planned tie-up with media company Televisa, warning that doing so would mean the loss of a valuable chance to challenge dominant telecoms company Telmex.

The European Commission has referred the Dutch part of a merger between frozen foods companies Royaan and Ad van Geloven to the Netherlands Competition Authority (NMa) for an in-depth investigation.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) yesterday cleared propane company AmeriGas’s US$2.9 million acquisition of ETP’s Heritage Propane, with commitments.

The US$10.2 billion merger between the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and Deutsche Börse risks being blocked in Europe, as it is facing strong opposition from the European Commission, reports say.

France Télécom and private equity company Apax have lined up their antitrust counsel after Apax’s acquisition of Orange Switzerland was approved by France Télécom’s board of directors yesterday.