VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Social media giant Twitter Inc announced it will introduce self-service advertisements for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Canada, Ireland and the United Kingdom starting this week.

Mexico-based food conglomerate Sigma Alimentos announced it plan to take over Spain's meat processing company Campofrio after it agreed to buy 40% of of the Spanish company from its current shareholders.

US-based global private equity firm Advent International signed an agreement to purchase a USD1.1 billion minority stake in Ocensa, Colombia's biggest oil pipeline in terms of capacity.

Troubled delivery service US Postal Service said it is hoping the surge in 2013's holiday online shopping and gift-sending would generate more revenue for the company through its partnership with Amazon.com and Sunday package deliveries.

London-based Armajaro Holdings Ltd sold its coffee, cocoa, and sugar trading arm to Swiss agricultural trader Ecom Agroindustrial Corp Ltd after reporting a loss of USD7.5 million.

Chinese firm CRED Real Estate bought New Zealand's Pepper's Carrington resort for an undisclosed amount.

Opthalmic lens maker Essilor announced it plan to buy sunglass company Costa for USD270 to tap the growing market of prescription sun lens.

Food giant Nestle announced its intention to sell the bulk of its Jenny Craig business to private equity firm North Castle Partners.

The shares of solar-cell maker Shunfeng Photovoltaic International Ltd rose after it agreed to buy Suntech Power for $492 million.

RBC Capital's analysts raised their price target on Apple Inc from USD475 to USD525 due to buyback chatter and the release of new Apple products.

According to data from Reuters, adviser departures in 2013 were lower than 2012.

Chinese fund managers suggested a lower exposure to stocks due to a probable cash squeeze.