IN BRIEF (Page 16)

Wider surplus

Germany's trade surplus unexpectedly widened in October, as exports rose 0.6 percent on the month to a record 83.5 billion euros, preliminary Federal Statistics Office data showed yesterday.

The seasonally-adjusted surplus exceeded the mid-range forecast of 17.0 billion euros in a Reuters poll of economists last week.

Deal cemented

Lafarge, the world's biggest cement maker, said it had agreed to buy Orascom Cement for 8.8 billion euros, in a deal that would boost its earnings and exposure to high-growth emerging markets.

Orascom Cement is a unit of Egypt's Orascom Construction Industries. The deal will see Orascom Construction Industries' shareholder Nassef Sawiris take an 11.4 percent stake in Lafarge and have a seat on Lafarge's board.

Himart purchase

Eugene Corp, South Korea's biggest maker of ready-mixed concrete, will acquire Himart Co for 1.95 trillion won ($2.1 billion) to expand into electronics retailing.

The company, which also owns construction and logistics companies, will buy all 2.7 million shares of Himart from a group led by Affinity Equity Partners Ltd, according to a regulatory filing from Bucheon-based Eugene yesterday.

US acquisitions

Assicurazioni Generali SpA plans to make cash acquisitions in the United States, taking advantage of the euro's strength against the dollar, Co-Chief Executive Officer Giovanni Perissinotto told la Repubblica in an interview.

"We aim to go shopping, but not in Europe where the prices are too high and the future prospects for earnings are limited," Perissinotto told the newspaper.

Agencies-Bloomberg News

(China Daily 12/11/2007 page16)