VENTURE CAPITAL POST

French media group Vivendi has finalised an agreement to sell its Brazilian broadband business GVT to Spain's Telefonica for cash and shares worth around 7.2 billion euros ($9.29 billion), the companies announced on Friday.

Asian shares held firm while the euro hit one-year lows on Tuesday as investors increasingly expect the European Central Bank to expand liquidity as soon as next week to boost the sagging euro zone economy.

U.S. stocks advanced on Monday, with the Dow Industrials up roughly one percent, as the threat of an escalation of tensions in Ukraine appeared to wane and the latest flurry of merger action supported equities.

Telecoms operator Orange's investment in faster fiber and mobile broadband networks in its French home market has started to pay off, as its high-end focus insulates it from cut- price fixed plans offered by rival Bouygues.

PSA Peugeot Citroen plans to build its next C3 compact model in Slovakia instead of France, sources close to the French carmaker told Reuters on Thursday.

France's controversial decree widening its control over takeovers in strategic industries is meant to help discussions over alliances and is not there to block deals, Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg told lawmakers on Tuesday.

Marks & Spencer Plc is making a new push to expand abroad, hoping e-commerce will give Britain's biggest clothing retailer a better chance to succeed than earlier attempts to enter new markets.

The collapse of the $35 billion merger of New York-based Omnicom with France's Publicis is likely to lead the world's biggest ad agencies to think small as they try to counter the challenge from internet giants like Google.

Paris-l’hospital, France-based car rental startup Drivy secured $8.3 million (€6 million) in a new funding round with Index Ventures and Alven Capital as lead investors to fuel its expansion in Europe.

Suresnes, France-based therapeutic companion software provider Voluntis landed $29 million (€20.75 million) in its Series D financing round led by Bpifrance Large Venture and Vesalius Biocapital to develop its diabetes management program and expand its US operations.

BTC China has halted deposits of local currency from the China Merchants Bank, causing the value of Bitcoin to fall from $500 to below $440, a 10% difference from its value in the past few days.

Paris, France-based digital publishing firm Webedia added Lebanon-based digital media firm Diwanee for an undisclosed amount to help the latter reach out to women in the Middle East.

Paris, France-based native advertising company Adyoulike added Windsor, UK-based content and marketing firm Content Amp in a deal valued at $2.5 million to beef up its ad campaigns.

Cupertino, US-based smartphone giant Apple launched its iPhone trade-in program in Germany to allow its customers to purchase a new iPhone at a discounted price when they trade in a qualifying old device.

French cross-device tracking and advertising startup Tapvalue nabbed $2.2 million (€1.6 million) in a venture round led by an unnamed venture capitalist and some angels to support its international growth and product development.