UPDATE 1-ICE says Winnipeg exchange deal is binding

(Reuters) - The upstart electronic energy exchange, which recently lost
a bid to acquire the Chicago Board of Trade, said it was aware
of a "preliminary third party proposal" made to WCE.




A spokeswoman for ICE refused to disclose the name of the
rival bidder.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

Brent Crude Oil Rises Above $78 a Barrel, Reaching 11-Month High in London

(Bloomberg) -- Brent crude-oil futures traded above
$78 a barrel in London for the first time since Aug. 9 as
maintenance shutdowns limited North Sea supplies and violence in
Nigeria curbed its oil exports.

The August Brent contract rose as high as $78.02 a barrel and
was trading at $78 a barrel, up 43 cents, at 8:38 a.m. on London's
ICE Futures exchange. Brent has averaged $64.56 so far this year
for contracts closest to delivery, after averaging $66.11 last
year, $55.25 in 2005 and $38.04 in 2004.


Read more at Bloomberg Energy News

ICE won't raise offer for CBOT - WSJ

(Reuters) - At Friday's closing prices CME's bid was worth about $11.9
billion, including a one-time special dividend by CBOT payable
upon the deal closing. ICE's bid valued CBOT at about $11.8
billion.




ICE and CBOT could not be immediately reached for comment.


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

ICE seen at risk of overpaying if raises CBOT bid

(Reuters) - After months of battle, analysts wondered whether ICE Chief
Executive Jeff Sprecher could simply bow out after CME raised
its bid for CBOT Holdings Inc. by 7 percent on Friday.




ICE's stock "acted as if ICE is not going to buy," said
Scott Appleby of Appleby Capital Inc. "But I still think
there's a good chance they will raise their bid."


Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

CME urges CBOT members to vote in favor of merger

(Reuters) - ICE has been pursuing a hostile bid for CBOT since March. On Thursday, it sent a letter to CBOT members and shareholders urging them to vote against the CME-CBOT merger.




CME issued its response in the form of a letter on Friday, saying that a CME-CBOT merger would add significantly more value than the ICE offer, as well as immediate growth prospects with the lowest risk.


Read more at Reuters.com Business News

CBOT board finds ICE bid not superior to CME deal

(Reuters) - CBOT said the ICE offer did not address strategic and
operational concerns such as integration and execution risk.




Read more at Reuters.com Mergers News

FACTBOX-Agreements reached at U.S.-China meeting

(Reuters) - FINANCIAL SERVICES




-- China will lift a freeze on the entry of new foreign
securities firms and resume licensing securities companies,
including joint ventures, during the second half of 2007.


Read more at Reuters.com Government Filings News