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STOCKS NEWS EUROPE-M&A speculation boosts UCB

Reuters - UK Focus

Shares in UCB (Other OTC: UCBJF - news) rise 1.6 percent, among the top gainers on the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index, with traders citing speculation in German business daily Handelsblatt that the Belgian pharmaceutical group could be an attractive takeover target.

Volume in UCB's shares is 81 percent of its three-month daily average, compared to 15 percent of the average for the FTSEurofirst 300.

Handelsblatt reports that UCB would be a good takeover target for German pharmaceutical Merck (Other OTC: MKGAF - news) or UK-listed AstraZeneca (NYSE: AZN - news) .

"UCB is trading higher after Handelsblatt reports that Merck may be looking at it," a London-based trader says.

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In the same article, UCB CEO Roch Doliveux says he is not interested in the company being acquired or making large acquisitions. UCB, Merck and AstraZeneca (Berlin: ZEG.BE - news) could not immediately be reached for comment.

UCB is the best performer on the STOXX 600 European Healthcare Index , which trades broadly unchanged.

Reuters messaging rm://robertjan.bartunek.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net