US based lender JPMorgan Chase & Company is to acquire Brazilian hedge fund and private equity firm Gavea. JPMorgan Chase is America’s second biggest US lender in terms of assets. The bank agreed to buy the Brazilian firm for an undisclosed amount. The reports were carried by a Brazilian paper, Veja magazine in its online edition on Monday. JPMorgan Chase was expected to announce the acquisition of the Brazilian firm Tuesday in New York.

CADE, Brazil’s anti-trust regulator last week announced it had approved Oi’s acquisition of Brasil Telecom. The Dow Jones reported CADE approved the sale of Brasil Telecom to Oi without structural restrictions, and a statement of commitment to performance was executed. In a statement, Oi said it had gotten the green light from the regulator, with the exemption of earlier structural restrictions.

US based pharmaceuticals major Pfizer Inc Thursday announced it has entered a partnership with Brazil’s foremost generics industry firm for the manufacture of generic medicines. In its announcement, Pfizer said it had agreed on a partnership with Laboratorio Teuto Brasileiro S.A, Brazil’s leading firm in the country’s generics industry, to develop and commercialize generic medicines.

Qatar’s direct investment vehicle reported Monday it had acquired a 5 per cent shareholding in Spanish Bank, Santander’s Brazilian unit. Qatar Holding, the direct investment vehicle for the Gulf state said it had bought the 5 per cent stake in Banco Santander’s Brazilian unit for an estimated $2.7 billion. Banco Santander is Spain’s largest bank and the investment will see it sell the Qatar firm mandatory convertible bonds equivalent to 5 per cent of the share capital of Banco Santander Brazil.

Amidst increasing speculation over its merger and acquisition plans, Brazilian healthcare services provider Tempo Assist confirmed it was mulling an investment and had hired BTG Pactual and UBS as its advisors. In its filling to the securities exchange, Tempo Assist said it is currently mulling plans to review merging, acquiring or selling off operations.

Brazilian administrator of private universities, Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes SA is to use the proceeds from its voting share sell. However, after announcing the plans, the firm has recorded sluggish performance, the worst in a period of five months. Anhanguera Educacional Participacoes is planning to sell as many as 20 million new voting shares to aide in its additional investments in terms of acquisitions and mergers.

Brazil’s and Latin America’s second biggest beef producer is nearing the completion of its acquisition in the US. The firm, Mafrig Alimentos SA Monday said it will be closing the deal of the acquisition Tuesday, effectively becoming a supplier of restaurant chains such as McDonald’s Corp. the firm bought the American interest a while back, as it moves to consolidate and reinforce its international offering.

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim’s firm Embratel has purchased over two thirds of Pay TV firm Net Servicos’ outstanding preferred shares. Embratel is a Brazilian fixed-line phone carrier and is majority controlled by the Mexican billionaire. Embratel bought 143.8 million shares of the Sa Paolo based Net Servicos at 23 reals for every share.

Natraceutical has gone into an agreement with Brazilian firm, Bio Group for the development of its Forte Pharma food supplements brand in Brazil. Natraceutical is one of Spain’s foremost food groups and the deal is crucial as it may possible enable the Spanish firm cut its debt. In an announcement Thursday, Natraceutical said it had appended a deal that may allow it reduce its debt and enable it undertake additional business for growth and expansion.

US based firm CA Technologies is mulling a major investment in emerging economies, with Brazil amongst those to be considered. The firm is planning a whopping $600 million investment venture in India, Brazil, Russia and China. The information technology management software and solutions firm owns an advanced India Technology Center that it set up for an investment pegged at $30 million.

Sinopec Group is to buy a 40 per cent stake in Repsol’s Brazilian unit for an estimated $7.1 billion. Sinopec Group is a Chinese firm and its investment is expected to increase its foothold in Latin America. The Spanish oil firm, Repsol said it was selling part of its stake in its Brazilian subsidiary. The Chinese investment is one amongst many such moves that the country has undertaken as it moves to reinforce its resource supply.