Bayer–Monsanto merger momentum

Bayer and Monsanto in a crops field

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US antitrust regulators approve Bayer’s $66bn takeover of Monsanto, conditional on the company offloading $9bn in assets

The German pharmaceuticals and chemicals firm Bayer has received conditional approval from US regulators to buy the US agrochemical and biotechnology company Monsanto, conditional on the company divesting $9 billion (£6.7 billion) worth of assets. The US Department of Justice granted the provisional go-ahead for the $66 billion megadeal on 29 May, provided those assets get sold to fellow German chemical company BASF.