Brewers' shares rise on reported talks

Business Week reports that Anheuser-Busch and InBev may be talking about a merger.

Shares in brewers InBev SA and Anheuser-Busch rose Thursday on a Brazilian newspaper report about talks to unite the world's largest beermakers.


Belgium-based InBev declined to comment on the report in Sao Paulo business daily Valor Economico that InBev had held preliminary merger talks with its U.S.-based rival. The newspaper cited an unidentified source which it said was close to leading Brazilian investors.


"We do not comment on market speculation," said Gwendoline Ornigg, InBev's director of corporate external communications.


Anheuser-Busch echoed that, saying it was the company's policy "to not confirm, deny or speculate on reports of potential investments, acquisitions, mergers, new business partnerships or other transactions."

Just what the world needs: an even-bigger industrial beer conglomerate. Read the entire article here.