Reuters Before the Bell: August 20, 2015

Click to View in Browser Thursday, August 20, 2015 More takeovers seen for small U.S. banks as rates stay low (Reuters) - Consolidation among U.S. banks, particularly capital-squeezed small- and mid-cap lenders, is set to rise in the next year or two due to persistently low interest rates, RBC banking analyst Gerard Cassidy said. Valeant to buy 'female Viagra' maker Sprout Pharma (Reuters) - Canada's Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc said it would buy privately owned Sprout Pharmaceuticals, whose drug became the first approved treatment this week for low sexual desire in women, for about $1 billion plus milestone payments. Valeant CEO says was in talks with Sprout for three weeks NEW YORK (Reuters) - Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Chief Executive J. Michael Pearson said Thursday on CNBC the company had been in talks to buy female libido drug company Sprout Pharmaceuticals for about three weeks prior to signing the $1 billion deal. Stock futures fall as oil weighs, Fed notes global growth fears (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures fell sharply on Thursday, a day after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting highlighted concerns over the state of the global economy and as oil prices hit their lowest since 2009. Growth fears hit stocks, oil, emerging markets LONDON (Reuters) - Stocks, oil and emerging market currencies fell on Thursday as fading expectations for an imminent U.S. interest rate hike stoked anxiety about the health of the global economy. Howard Buffett bets on hydropower to rebuild eastern Congo MATEBE, Democratic Republic of Congo (Reuters) - U.S. philanthropist Howard Buffett, son of billionaire investor Warren, is pouring millions of dollars into power projects in war-torn Congo, betting that private investment can bring development where the United Nations and aid agencies failed.  U.S. crude prices fall towards $40 on global glut LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. crude oil prices fell to almost $40 a barrel on Thursday, their lowest since the global financial crisis of 2009, as supplies rose in North America and the Middle East, filling stockpiles to record levels. California prosecutors say Uber's background checks missed convicts SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - California prosecutors have broadened their civil lawsuit against popular online ride-sharing service Uber, alleging that its background checks missed people previously convicted of murder and sex crimes, court records show. New Target COO's headache: Too few goods to keep shelves filled CHICAGO (Reuters) - Two days after being promoted to the new position of Target Corp's Chief Operating Officer, John Mulligan's big job is clear: fix a supply chain that the company blamed for shortages of goods that are undermining sales growth. Fed's Kocherlakota floats increase in U.S. inflation target (Reuters) - A top U.S. central banker on Thursday floated the possibility of increasing the Federal Reserve's inflation target as a way to reduce financial stability risks and make it easier for the Fed to achieve price stability and full employment. Related Video Blossoming economy helps Holland's Ahold Uganda: the new agricultural goldmine Make sense of the market with highlights of valuable financial information and reports along with compelling investment insights. Register Today The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today » » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2015 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add newsletters@email.reuters.com to your address book. Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook