Singapore competition watchdog blocks deal for first time

Singapore's anti-trust regulator blocked a takeover for the first time when it provisionally ruled last week that Malaysian IHH Healthcare Bhd's planned purchase of a local unit of India's Fortis Healthcare would lessen competition. The proposal by IHH Healthcare, Asia's largest hospital operator by stock market value, to buy Radlink-Asia Pte Ltd for S$137 million ($98.4 million) fell through after the ruling, Fortis said on Friday.