Bayer sweetens Monsanto bid

The company has increased its offer by 2 percent.

German pharmaceutical and crop chemicals manufacturer Bayer AG says talks with Monsanto Company have advanced and it is now willing to offer more than $65 billion, a 2 percent increase on its previous offer for the world's largest seeds company.

"Both sides are gradually nearing consensus," one person familiar with the matter said.

Monsanto has also agreed to open its books for Bayer to conduct due diligence checks on the company's business, two sources close to the matter said.

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