German company to offer more than $65 billion for world’s largest seed company

Irish shares fare better than wider European market, with Kingspan’s 7% rise leading way

Deal will be largest foreign acquisition ever by a Chinese company

Decision should remove uncertainty over whether the acquisition will be completed

Company has agreed to be taken over by China National Chemical for $43 billion

US seed producer reported net income drop of 37 per cent to $717 million

Shares up but market reacts to expectations of ‘regulatory hiccups’

Analysts sceptical German group can raise €59bn to buy world’s largest seed producer

Monsanto, which has a market cap of $42 billion, didn’t disclose terms of the approach

Potential bid would come as agribusiness industry has seen rapid succession of mergers

US service sector slows raising market concerns of contagion to other areas

State-owned company will pay almost €40 billion for Swiss group

Paddy Power Betfair makes successful debut on Dublin and London markets

A round up of business events happening this week

Disappointing US data and falling oil prices cap off difficult week for stockmarkets

Chief executive Hugh Grant says engagement over possible merger with Syngenta ‘difficult’

Boost for Ryanair shares in Dublin but property trusts under pressure

CRH and Origin among top risers in Dublin as Iseq ends flat after sluggish trading

Can an art exhibition about climate change have any potency when it avoids polemic? The Irish Cultural Centre in Paris takes a gentle approach to a giant issue

Dublin market out-performs peers thanks to strong shows from CRH and Smurfit Kappa