Canada Stocks Poised to Extend Gains on Buyouts; Telus Shares May Advance

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks may rise for a third
day after Blackstone Group LP's buyout of Hilton Hotels Corp.
spurred more takeover speculation.

Telus Corp. may pace gains in Canada on speculation it will
either seek to top the offer accepted by BCE Inc. from Ontario
Teachers' Pension Plan, or become the target of a buyout itself.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

REFILE-Almost half of Canadians oppose BCE-Telus merger

(Reuters) - The Angus Reid Strategies poll, released on Sunday, found
48 percent of respondents believe the federal government should
not approve the merger if it were to occur, while only 27
percent think the deal should get a go-ahead from Ottawa and 25
percent are unsure.




Last week, Telus touted the creation of a "national
champion" by proposing a takeover of BCE, Canada's largest
telecom company. Telus became the fourth party interested in
mounting a bid for Montreal-based BCE. The other three are
buyout consortiums that each include a different U.S.
private-equity firm.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

UPDATE 1-Canada telecoms merger up to regulators - Harper

(Reuters) - Harper told reporters he would ensure that any deal between
BCE Inc. and Telus Corp. would undergo a fair
and thorough regulatory review under existing laws, but said
politicians would keep their hands off.




"This government would want to consider a combination of
forces in the market but obviously the requirements of the law
as it exists," Harper told reporters in Ottawa.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News

Canada Stocks May Rise, Led by BCE; Rate Sensitive Shares May Limit Gains

(Bloomberg) -- Canadian stocks may rise on takeover
speculation after BCE Inc., Canada's largest phone company, said
it's in talks about a possible sale to Telus Corp., the fourth
party to consider what would be the country's biggest buyout.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd. may lead energy shares higher,
after crude oil prices approached $70 a barrel. Gains in the market
may be limited as interest-rate sensitive financial shares decline
on rising bond yields in the U.S., the world's largest economy.


Read more at Bloomberg Stocks News

BCE keeps cards close to vest in buyout talks

(Reuters) - "We're in a process, we're very satisfied with how it's
going," Michael Sabia told reporters on the sidelines of the
Canadian Telecom Summit. "Our objective here is to deliver
value to our shareholders. That's what we're going to do."




Thus far, three consortia, all of which include
high-profile U.S. private equity firms, have entered talks
regarding a potential bid to take BCE, Canada's largest telecom
company, private.


Read more at Reuters.com Bonds News