According to � bizjounals.com � The state Insurance
Department has issued its 2005 annual ranking of automobile insurance
companies.The annual report is based on consumer complaints about the insurers’
products and services.

Insurance Superintendent Howard Mills said policy price is
a significant factor in what insurer they choose. But he also said the service
and responsiveness of an insurer can also be an important factor in which
companies consumers buy policies from.

The Insurance Department’s Consumer Services Bureau closed
a total of 13,023 private passenger complaints in 2004, with 7,233 of them
either withdrawn by the consumer or not upheld.

(more…)

According to � Asia
Pacific News.Net � Nomura Holdings Inc.,Japan’s leading mergers
adviser for a second year, plans to expand its acquisitions team by 20 percent
as an expanding economy encourages takeovers.

Nomura, which worked on
a record $81 billion of deals in the nation this year, will add about 20
bankers in Japan and more in Europe and the U.S., said Kenji Kimura, who heads
the 100-strong mergers group. Merrill Lynch & Co. and Mitsubishi UFJ
Securities Co., the firm’s closest rivals in 2005, say they also plan to hire.

The value of announced
mergers and acquisitions in Japan surged 64 percent this
year to $143.5 billion, 5.6 percent of the global total, Bloomberg data show.
Advisory work may swell next year as companies in the world’s second-biggest
economy seek growth to compete and fend off hostile bids from overseas, said
Atsushi Saito, president of the Industrial Revitalization Corp. of Japan

(more…)

Accoring to �John Vomhof �SoftBrands Inc.shares rose more
than 14 percent in its debut on the American Stock Exchange.

SoftBrands (AMEX: SBN) was up 30 cents, or 14.3 percent, to
$2.40 in afternoon trading Tuesday.
The Richfield-based software developer, whose stock
previously traded on the so-called "Pink Sheets" under the symbol
"SFBD," had been exiled from national exchanges for four years
following a financial scandal

(more…)

According � topix.net �As the Indian real estate market heats up, an
increasing number of foreign funds and companies have begun to troop in to the
country hungry for an investment slice of India�s highly lucrative realty pie.
With private equity players considering big real estate investments, banks have
begun floating real estate funds and giving loans to financial institutions and
builders for property development. And, with the Indian government allowing
100% of foreign direct investment in real estate, overseas property developers
have become closely involved in real estate buying and development.

According to financial circles, international investors e.g. US-based Morgan
Stanley Real Estate Fund (MSREF), Warburg, Pincus, Blackstone Group, California
Public Employees� Retirement System (CALPERS), Columbia Endowment Fund, Sam
Zell�s Equity International, Broadstreet, Hines, JP Morgan Partners, Berkshire
Hathway, Tishman Speyer and Amaranth Advisors have expressed considerable
interest, and have been busy making enquiries.

(more…)

According to �Craig M. Douglas�
Early-stage investor HLM Venture Partners added some notches to its belt this
month after two of its portfolio companies were acquired for a combined $963
million.

The deals come at a critical juncture for the Boston-based
firm, as its partners are actively marketing their health care and
biotechnology investing prowess to prospective backers in a new $200 million
venture fund. HLM has already closed, or secured, $115 million in commitments
in the new fund and hopes to complete its fund raising early next year.

(more…)

According to " bizjournals.com "NBT Bancorp Inc of Norwich and CNB Bancorp Inc. of Gloversville have received the necessary regulatory approvals for their proposed merger.

The $89 million deal, which was first announced in June, now must be approved by CNB’s shareholders. The company will hold a special meeting on Feb. 8. All CNB shareholders of record as of Dec. 20 will be entitled to vote on the deal. If approved, the banks expect the transaction to close on or about Feb. 10.

Under the terms of the agreement, shareholders of CNB (OTC: CNBI) may elect to receive either $38 in cash or 1.64 shares of NBT common stock (Nasdaq: NBTB) for each share of CNB.

NBT is parent to NBT Bank N.A. CNB is parent to City National Bank & Trust Co. NBT has identified cost savings it expects will make the merger accretive to earnings per share within the first year.

(more…)