Business Today: Futures point to higher open; S&P 500 near record

		Click to View in Browser 08/25/2014 Futures point to higher open; S&P 500 near record NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Monday, indicating the S&P 500 would open near record levels, amid corporate merger activity and as hopes grew for more monetary stimulus in European markets. Burger King in talks to buy Canada's Tim Hortons NEW YORK/TORONTO (Reuters) - Burger King is in talks to acquire Canadian coffee and doughnut chain Tim Hortons Inc in a deal that would create a fast food powerhouse with a market capitalization of roughly $18 billion. Roche to buy U.S. biotech firm InterMune for $8.3 billion LONDON/ZURICH (Reuters) - Roche Holding AG has agreed to buy U.S. biotech company InterMune Inc for $8.3 billion in cash, helping the world's leading maker of cancer drugs expand into the treatment of rare or incurable diseases. Exclusive: IRS enforcement agent numbers could drop to lowest levels since 1970s NEW YORK (Reuters) - Budget pressures at the Internal Revenue Service's Criminal Investigation Division are cutting the number of investigators there to the lowest level in four decades, and officials say the changes are forcing the division to scale back its fight of financial crime. German business morale sours in August as Ukraine crisis weighs BERLIN (Reuters) - German business sentiment dropped for a fourth straight month in August as concerns about the Ukraine crisis and the impact of sanctions against Russia sweep through corporate boardrooms in Europe's largest economy. French economy minister urges alternative to German austerity PARIS (Reuters) - The time has come for France to resist Germany's "obsession" with austerity and promote alternative policies across the euro zone that support household consumption, firebrand French Economy Minister Arnaud Montebourg said on Sunday. Market leaders seen taking S&P 500 to 2,000 NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks have been on a roll of late, with the S&P 500 hitting the latest in a series of records on Thursday, and investors expect the index's momentum to soon carry it to - if not far past - the 2,000 milestone. Pressure builds within Fed to signal new policy course JACKSON HOLE Wyo. (Reuters) - Pressure is building within the Federal Reserve for officials to move as early as next month to more clearly acknowledge improvements in the U.S. economy and lay the groundwork for the central bank's first interest rate hike in nearly a decade. Dollar stores in battle to double down on the poor (Reuters) - Like millions of Americans, Darnel Ware needs to save money, even if it's 40 cents on a bag of flour. Deepening rivalries test German luxury car dominance PARIS/BERLIN (Reuters) - Berlin-based PR executive Herbert Franz should be a soft target for German luxury automakers - his last car was a BMW X3 - but he can't wait to leave them behind. Related Video Indonesia enters South China Sea strife Breakingviews: Mood in Indonesia reflects hope for reforms Economic News About-face for ECB's Draghi as he seeks to jolt euro zone into life Euro zone bond yields fall as ECB's Draghi boosts QE speculation A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend