In merger-and-acquisition news, CVS (CVS: chart), the second largest drugstore chain in the U.S., confirmed that it is in merger talks with Caremark Rx (CMS: chart), a leading pharmacy benefits manager. S&P 500 futures were up 3.70 points, above fair value. Dow Jones industrial average futures rose 36 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 6.25 points.


8:00AM R.R. Donnelly & Sons agreed to buy Banta for $1.3 billion.
R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co. announced late Tuesday it will acquire Banta Corp. in a deal worth $1.3 billion. The cash deal is valued at about $1.3 billion, or $36.50 per share after a special dividend of $16.00 per share already declared by Banta. The offer, equal to $52.50 per share, represents a premium of 18.6% over Banta''s closing share price Tuesday on the Nymex of $44.28. The deal was unanimously approved by boards of directors of the two companies. The transaction is expected to complete in Q1 of 2007.

Chicago-based R.R. Donnelley, which prints the Yellow Pages, said the acquisition will allow it to expand its range of products and services for customers and also enhance its services in magazine, catalog and book printing and in direct marketing. R.R. Donnelley has 47,000 employees worldwide and had 2005 revenues of $8.43 billion.

Banta, based in Menasha, Wis., has operations in the United States, Europe and Asia. It produces books and provides supply chain management services. Banta, with 1,585 employees in Wisconsin''s Fox Valley and 8,000 worldwide, reported 2005 revenues of $1.54 billion. Banta said in September that it would declare a $16 per share special dividend payable in November.


7:30AM Asian stocks advance broadly Wednesday, South Korea, Singapore lead.
Asian markets ended mostly higher on Wednesday. Nikkei 225 Index in Japan ended 0.2% lower to 16375.26. Gains in the yen weighed down Japanese export-oriented shares, leaving Toyota Motor flat. Honda fell 0.2%. Shares of Nissan Motors bucked the downtrend to finish up 3.4%.

The banking sector in Tokyo closed mixed with Mitsubishi UFJ, largest bank by assets in Japan, up 1.4%, while Softbank, which acquired the Japanese mobile cellular business of Vodafone Group PLC earlier this year, plunged 4.9%.

The Kospi index in South Korea rose 0.7% and Taiwan Weighted Price Index fell 0.1%. Shares listed in Singapore advanced, with the benchmark Straits Times Index advancing 0.9%. Hang Seng Index in Hong Kong ended 0.7% higher at 18,453.65. The China Enterprises Index of shares listed in Hong Kong, added 1.1% to 7,568.19.

Australia S&P/ASX 200 rose 0.6% to close at a record 5416.40, lifted by gains in mining and banking shares. National Australia Bank edged higher 0.9% on upbeat expectations ahead of results due Friday. Shares of BHP Billiton gained 0.9%.


6:30AM Strong metal shares and banking mergers help Europe higher Wednesday.
European markets were marginally higher in early trading on Wednesday. The FTSE 100 in London gained 0.2% to 6,138.4, Frankfurt Xetra Dax climbed fractionally to 6,270.62, and the CAC 40 in Paris was flat at 5,348.88.

Advancers

Banks were among the best performing stocks after Banco Popolare di Verona e Novara and Banca Popolare Italiana, the two Italian co-operative banks, announced they had signed a memorandum of understanding. This confirms the structure of the new bank, as well as the terms and conditions of the planned merger. Shares in BPVN gained 2.7% and BPI added 2%.

Natexis Banques Populaire, the French mutual lender, gained 2%. It is merging its Natexis investment banking unit with Ixis, the wealth management division of Caisse d’Epargne. Nordic banks were also performing well, with Swedbank up 1.5%, and DnB Nor 1% higher.

Metal stocks were also in demand after zinc prices touched record highs and as gold prices also strengthened. BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto gained more than 1.1%

Telecoms advanced again after TeliaSonera, which reported on Tuesday forecast-beating third-quarter numbers, gained 0.5% following target price upgrades from Morgan Stanley, Deutsche Bank and UBS. Greek mobile group Cosmote gained 1.5%, while Vodafone added 0.6%.

Decliners

Telenor bucked the telecoms trend, retreating from some of its recent gains that followed strong third-quarter results, falling 1.5%.

Tyre makers led the decliners on Wednesday, as Continental, the German tyre and car parts maker, fell 0.8% after it reported a fall in third-quarter core operating profit as raw materials costs mounted and auto industry production in the US stalled. Michelin also fell 1.1%.