Business news for Tue, 18 Dec 2007 & with word buyout. 5 news.

The firms are part of an investor group aiming to boost growth at the sanitation company through a buyout

DETROIT - General Motors Corp. is offering buyouts and retirement incentives to 5,200 hourly workers represented by the United Auto Workers.

Alliance Data Systems, the credit-card manager that agreed to be bought by the Blackstone Group, said the $7.8 billion takeover may not be completed by the end of the year. “The Blackstone Group and their respective representatives continue to work together to consummate the transaction as soon as possible,” the Dallas-based company said in a statement. [...]

LONDON (MarketWatch) -- Trading in Neuf Cegetal shares was halted at 36.74 euros on Paris on Tuesday. The broadband and telecom firm said that its two main shareholders, Vivendi unit SFR and the Louis Dreyfus group, are in talks. The firm didn't say what the talks were about but recent press reports have linked Vivendi with a buyout offer for the firm. Vivendi shares slipped 0.1%.