Hanqing Jiang

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) and Morgan Stanley (MS) to lead its animal health-care unit IPO, the Reuters news agency said Tuesday on its website, citing unnamed sources close to the situation.

Japanese stocks fell sharply early Wednesday, picking up on a weak lead from Wall Street amid reported German concerns over some bailout details, while earnings exerted a mixed influence on shares.

Australian shares slipped in early Wednesday trading, tracking falls on Wall Street overnight as investors eyed the outcomes of key central bank meetings in the U.S. and Europe.

Pfizer Inc. (PFE) has appointed Bank of America Merrill Lynch, JP Morgan & Chase Co. (JPM) and Morgan Stanley (MS) to lead its animal health-care unit IPO, the Reuters news agency said Tuesday on its website, citing unnamed sources close to the situation.

Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) said Tuesday the U.S. Federal Trade Commission is reviewing its deal to sell Alaska oil and gas assets to Hilcorp Energy Corp.

Argentina and Venezuela agreed Tuesday to forming a strategic alliance to develop oil and gas industries through the countries' state-run oil companies.

San Francisco-based online money transfer service Xoom Corp has hired Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (GS) as its lead underwriter in the company's preparation for an initial public offering, the Reuters news agency said Tuesday on its website, citing two unnamed sources familiar with the situation.

CapitaLand Ltd. (C31.SG), Southeast Asia's largest developer by market value, said Wednesday its second-quarter net profit eased 3.3% from a year earlier as the group incurred greater finance costs from borrowings and foreign-exchange losses.

Australia's competition regulator is likely to approve News Corp.'s (NWS.AU) 1.97 billion Australian dollar (US$2.07 billion) bid for media investment company Consolidated Media Holdings Ltd. (CMJ.AU), The Australian Financial Review reported Wednesday, citing unnamed sources.

Edison International's (EIX) Edison Mission Energy unit could file for bankruptcy if bondholders don't agree on a plan to restructure $3.7 billion of debt, including $578 million due in 2013, company executives said Tuesday.