DealZone

M&A wrap: Buffett trades off his reputation

Warren Buffett showed again that his name and money is enough to give a struggling company instant credibility in the market. But the legendary investor also demonstrated his canny command of that reputation means that deals such as the $5 billion investment in Bank of America can immediately generate profits.

Anglo-Irish bank has chosen preferred bidders for its $9.5 billion U.S. commercial real estate loan portfolio and aims to have completed that sale, the largest in the United States in recent years, before the end of the year.

Glencore, the world’s largest commodities trader, stood on the verge of its largest takeover bid since its May stock market listing, after South Africa’s Optimum Coal confirmed it had received approaches.

The New York Times’ Dealbook is reporting that Rio Tinto and the Mitsubishi Corporation have raised their offer for Coal & Allied to approximately $131 a share , valuing the company at about $11.6 billion.

The blogging service Tumblr is close to raising $75-$100 million in venture capital, implying a market value of $800 million, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.