PERNOD RICARD and DIAGEO have signed with VIVENDI UNIVERSAL an agreement on the acquisition of SEAGRAM's wines and spirits business for the sum of $8.15 billion in cash. The French group, which will become the world's third largest spirits company through this move, will contribute up to about $3.15 billion, or 38.6% of the total price, and the British group will contribute $5 billion (61.4%). Considered as favourites, the two groups have already come to a prior agreement on the sharing of...