VNU's management team now accepts shareholders to approve a $9 billion buyout offer made by a group of private equity firms, Aad Jacobs, the chairman of VNU's supervisory board said in an interview
with the
Wall Street Journal. The $9 billion-plus deal had been opposed by some key shareholders, including Knight Vinke Asset Management, but a weakening of the U.S. dollar in recent weeks
apparently has made the deal more attractive to investors who have a deadline of Friday to approve the deal, which requires the support of 95 percent of shareholders. VNU is the parent of Nielsen
Media Research, ACNielsen and various trade publications, and a buyout is expected to eventually lead to a break-up of those assets.