Germany's Merck ([[MKGAF]], [[MKKGY]]) is chipping into the aggressive M&A game. The drugs and specialty chemical supplier is making an unsolicited $5.2 billion offer for Versum Materials ([[VSM]]). It's the second big cross-border deal in as many days hoping to nix an agreed tie-up. It's another sign that recent market wobbles have not yet dulled merger mania.
This week has been peppered with big, risky and odd deals. On Monday, Canada's Barrick Gold ([[GOLD]]) made a quixotic $18 billion hostile offer for American rival Newmont Mining ([[NEM]]). Barrick's proposal is not particularly persuasive financially, is