IN BRIEF (Page 17)

Kraft 'still favorite'

Kraft Foods Inc is favorite to take over Cadbury Plc despite interest from Hershey Co and Ferrero, and talk of Nestle SA involvement, said analyst Andrew Wood at Sanford Bernstein.

"Kraft is still the favorite to get the deal done ... but not at the 'steal' it had originally hoped," said the top-rated analyst in a note on Tuesday, which still said the right price for Cadbury is 900 pence per share. Wood said he believes a Hershey/Ferrero bid would fall short but should force Kraft to pay a higher price, while Nestle's interest would only be on the coat-tails of a Hershey bid to try to get back its KitKat brand in the United States.