INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Unilever has shown interest in GlaxoSmithKline's consumer health businessDove soap maker Unilever signalled on Monday it would pursue a
deal for GlaxoSmithKline's consumer health business, calling it a "strong strategic fit" after its 50-billion-pound approach ($68.4
billion) was rejected.The update comes after GSK confirmed over the weekend that it had rejected the Unilever offer for its consumer
healthcare business, which is home to brands such as Sensodyne toothpaste and Emergen-C vitamin supplement."The acquisition would create
scale and a growth platform for the combined portfolio in the United States , China and India, with further opportunities in other emerging
markets," Unilever said, pointing to synergies in the oral care and vitamin supplements business.Unilever held talks with banks about
additional financing for a potential sweetened offer for GSK's consumer products division, Bloomberg News reported on Sunday, citing
people familiar with the matter.Unilever, which is set to announce an initiative later this month to strengthen its business, said on Monday
it was committed to "strict financial discipline" for any acquisitions.
