Exclusive poll and loan news on BHP’s monster bid for Potash

Reuters journalists in seven centers from Taipei to Tokyo, London and Toronto polled 11 large and small Potash shareholders on what price they would be willing to sell out to BHP or another suitor. The poll showed shareholders would, on average, take $162 per share - 25 percent higher than what BHP had offered. It gave investors, bankers and analysts a unique reference point for basing their expectations as the battle for Potash progresses. Reuters also separately polled 15 analysts, who said a price of $157 a share will get the deal done. Reuters LPC was first with news that JP Morgan, TD Securities, Banco Santander, Barclays Capital, BNP Paribas and Royal Bank of Scotland were arranging over 40 billion dollars of loan facilities in what could turn out to be the largest corporate acquisition of the year. BHP Billiton’s CDS went up 36 bps to 106.49 bps from 70.71 bps on the day. Reuters was 6 hours ahead of Dow Jones, while Bloomberg covered the story the following day.