Thor ups offer for Empire State

Thor Equities has raised its cash offer to buy Empire State Building Associates for US$1.4 billion. The deal is for the entity that owns the land, the 102‑storey tower and the master lease on the historic Empire State Building.

Thor Equities is described in the article as one of New York City’s largest landlords. The proposed US$1.4 billion cash purchase of the Empire State Building’s owner is notable because it involves a landmark Manhattan asset and a sizeable cash transaction by a major landlord.

Koch Industries has announced it is buying Molex for US$7.2 billion (reported as US$7.8 billion). The acquisition is of Molex, a manufacturer of electrical components and interconnection systems.

Molex makes electronic and fibre‑optic interconnection systems. According to the article, Molex operates in 15 countries and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide.

Shell officials have begun talks in the southern Nigerian city of Port Harcourt with representatives of the Bodo community about compensation and clean‑up, five years after one of the worst oil spills in Nigeria’s history.

The talks are taking place in Port Harcourt, in southern Nigeria, and they began five years after the major oil spill affecting the Bodo community.

The article highlights three investor‑relevant themes: a large cash real‑estate transaction (Thor’s US$1.4 billion offer for the Empire State Building owner), a major corporate acquisition (Koch’s US$7.2 billion purchase of Molex), and ongoing environmental and liability discussions (Shell’s talks with the Bodo community over compensation and clean‑up). These are headline developments in real estate, industrial M&A, and environmental remediation.

Yes. The article specifies the purchase price for Molex as US$7.2 billion (US$7.8 billion reported) and notes Molex operates in 15 countries with more than 35,000 employees. For the Empire State Building, the article states Thor’s cash offer is US$1.4 billion for Empire State Building Associates.