Deere & Company, Illinois based manufacturer of John Deere agricultural and construction equipment, has reported earnings of $712 million for Q3 2011.

After a broad-based improvement reflecting higher results from all divisions, income rose 15 percent for the quarter ending 31 July as a healthy global farm sector continues to support the company’s performance.

For the first nine months of the year, net income was $2.130 billion, compared with $1.408 billion last year.

Africa Oil Corp has signed a contract with Sakson Drilling and Oil Services to provide a rig to drill the first exploration wells in Puntland, Somalia, for more than 20 years.

Spudding of the first well in Dharoor is expected to commence during the fourth quarter of this year.

Drilling locations have been selected over two prospects in the Dharoor and Nugaal valleys covering nearly 36,000 square kilometres. Each prospect is targeting a gross best estimate oil-in-place of approximately 900 million barrels.

Blount International has announced an agreement to acquire agriculture and construction equipment manufacturer Woods Equipment Company for approximately $185 million in cash.

"The acquisition of Woods significantly increases the scale of our farm, ranch, and agriculture business," said Josh Collins, Blount's chairman and chief executive officer.

UK-based SABMiller has made a hostile bid for the Australian beer giant Foster’s.

The Foster's board rejected SAB's initial A$9.5 billion (£6.1 billion) offer made in June, saying it was too low.

SABMiller has now taken the offer directly to the company’s shareholders, though it remains unchanged at A$4.90 per share.

The boards of directors of Google and Motorola Mobility Holdings have unanimously approved a deal for Google to acquire Motorola Mobility for $40.00 per share in cash.

The transaction values Motorola Mobility at around $12.5 billion, a premium of 63 percent to the closing price of its shares on Friday, August 12, 2011.

As a dedicated Android partner, the acquisition of Motorola Mobility will enable Google to supercharge the Android ecosystem and enhance competition in mobile computing, the company said in a statement.

Germany’s Rhenus Group has agreed to acquire the mainland European activities of UK-based Wincanton Group, it has been announced.

Wincanton’s German and French businesses generate revenues of approximately €550 million and employ 3,000 people. The companies’ activities are predominantly in contract logistics and intermodal transportation.

Canadian engineering and construction group SNC-Lavalin has been awarded a contract by Emirates Aluminium Company (EMAL) for phase II of its smelter in Al Taweelah in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi.

The contract involves the engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services for a new aluminium smelter, including a 1,000 MW power plant and a 1.7 km-long potline, the longest ever built.

UK budget hotel operator Travelodge is to spend £135 million on expansion within and around the country’s national parks.

The company said it is responding to the rise in the number of people staying in or near the UK’s 15 national parks.

The Travelodge property team is prioritising a search for 37 sites in total, with key locations including Aviemore in the Cairngorns, Betws-y-Coed in Snowdonia, Grasmere in the Lake District and Minehead on Exmoor.

Anheuser-Busch InBev, the brewer of Budweiser, Becks and Stella Artois, has reported rising profits in the second quarter of 2011.

The world’s largest brewer announced net profit of $1.6 billion in 2Q11, up 11.3 percent from $1.440 billion in 2Q10. Total revenue grew 3.7 percent in the quarter, driven by brand building strategies and the implementation of revenue management best practices, the company said in a statement.

The first new aluminium smelter to be built in the Arabian Gulf in 25 years has become a catalyst for industrial growth in the region, helping to make Oman an attractive destination for multinationals to locate facilities.