Platform Specialty to Acquire Arysta in $3.5B Deal

Platform Specialty Products (NYSE:PAH) is buying rival chemical maker Arysta LifeScience for about $3.5 billion. Arysta is owned by a fund backed by private equity firm Permira. Platform makes specialty chemicals used in computers, cars and oil rigs. The company says it expects the deal to immediately add to adjusted earnings per share. GFI Group (NYSE:GFIG) is the target of a hostile $675 million bid from rival interdealer broker BGC Partners (NASDAQ:BGCP). Interdealer brokers match wholesale buyers and sellers of currencies, bonds and other instruments. GFI says a special board committee will review the offer, and its board continues to support a planned sale to CME Group. Angie's List (NASDAQ:ANGI) says its third-quarter loss narrowed from a year ago, but it still missed the estimate. The online review site lost nine cents per share, three cents more than expected. Revenue of $81.3 million also fell short of expectations. Angie's List also forecast disappointing revenue for the current quarter.