Jochelle Mendonca

HONG KONG/BANGKOK (Reuters) - Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway <BRKa.N> is pushing into the Thai reinsurance market and selling cover for higher rates, taking advantage of the retreat of competitors such as France's CCR after they suffered losses from last year's floods.

(Reuters) - Empire State Realty Trust, owners of the iconic Empire State Building, filed to sell up to $1 billion of its Class A common stock, giving ordinary investors a chance to own a piece of the building that has been fought over by billionaires.

(Reuters) - Valley National Bancorp's <VLY.N> margins fell sequentially, prompting investor concerns about its profit growth in a low-rate environment, while its Northeastern peer First Niagara Financial <FNFG.O> managed to hold the line on its margins.

(Reuters) - Jive Software Inc's shares soared in their market debut as investors look to cash in on the immense popularity of social media offerings on the backdrop of upcoming IPOs like those of Facebook and Zynga.

(Reuters) - U.S. property and casualty insurer Alleghany Corp <Y.N> made a surprise entry into the battle for Transatlantic Holdings <TRH.N> with a $3.4 billion cash-and-stock deal to buy the reinsurer, squaring off against a hostile bid from Validus Holdings Ltd <VR.N>.

(Reuters) - U.S. property and casualty insurer Alleghany Corp <Y.N> said it would buy reinsurer Transatlantic Holdings <TRH.N> for $3.4 billion in cash and stock, possibly putting an end to the months-long buyout battle for the reinsurer.

(Reuters) - U.S. property and casualty insurer Alleghany Corp <Y.N> said it would buy reinsurer Transatlantic Holdings <TRH.N> for $3.4 billion in cash and stock, a day after a source told Reuters that Alleghany was close to a deal for the company.

(Reuters) - Synacor Inc, partly owned by Intel Corp, filed with U.S. regulators on Friday to raise up to $75 million in an initial public offering, reviving its plans to tap the public markets after three years.

(Reuters) - MetLife Inc <MET.N> <MET.N>, the largest U.S. life insurer, said the Federal Reserve blocked it from raising its dividend and buying back shares, a surprise to investors and analysts who had expected both as soon as this week.

(Reuters) - Alternative finance firms, from credit unions to online and pawn lenders, are gaining traction as banks turn off the tap for easy cash and start charging fees for services that customers have had for free.

(Reuters) - A secondary offering of shares in Lions Gate Entertainment Corp <LGF.N> by affiliates of billionaire investor Carl Icahn has been put on hold due to poor market conditions, a source with direct knowledge of the process said.

(Reuters) - H&R Block Inc <HRB.N> said it would discontinue service under its EXPRESSTAX brand, as it focuses on its core tax-preparing brand and services.

(Reuters) - U.S. conglomerate Tyco International <TYC.N> plans to split into three publicly traded companies, positioning itself for expected consolidation in its diverse businesses and potentially making it easier for its operations to be acquired.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - McGraw-Hill Cos Inc <MHP.N> plans to split into two public companies, with one holding its Standard & Poor's ratings and index businesses and the other holding its textbook publishing units.

NEW YORK/BANGALORE (Reuters) - Private equity company Carlyle Group filed for an IPO on Tuesday, a long-awaited move to catch up with rivals Blackstone, KKR and Apollo, but the volatility of global markets means an offering is unlikely until the first half of 2012.

NEW YORK/BANGALORE (Reuters) - Private equity company Carlyle Group filed for an IPO on Tuesday, a long-awaited move to catch up with rivals Blackstone, KKR and Apollo, but the volatility of global markets means an offering is unlikely until the first half of 2012.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Less than a year since it went public, NetSpend Holdings Inc's depressed stock price and cut-throat competition in the pre-paid debit card market make it a potential takeout target.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Lowe's Companies Inc <LOW.N> put aside $5 billion to buyback its shares over the next two to three years, joining a string of companies digging into their cash reserves to shore up their stocks in a weak economy.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Visa Inc said it would accelerate the move to chip technology and speed up the use of mobile payments in the United States, as the world's largest payment processor tries to corner a share in the nascent smartphone payments market.

BANGALORE (Reuters) - Visa Inc said it would accelerate the move to chip technology and speed up the use of mobile payments in the United States, as the world's largest payment processor tries to corner a share in the nascent smartphone payments market.