Hope you feel better.
So the big local news today is everyone's fear (actually it's HOPE) that the credit crisis kills the InBev/Anheuser-Busch deal. Normally I would say that this is just fantasy-world wishful thinking on the part of the locals and that even in a tight credit market these loans would get done. But after the past 2 weeks I hate to be assured about anything.
But a bad deal for the community. Anheuser-Busch is very philanthropic and does a lot for the city. Everyone expects that well to dry up once they are owned by the Belgians. And despite assurances that they'll maintain North American headquarters here - no one really believes them. Or thinks that it will matter in the long run.
So the locals are all excited by the prospect that the financial crisis could "save" AB, as they put it. It's a $58 billion deal. InBev has to borrow $40 billion.
I have a hard time believing that their financing sources will back out even in this economy.
