BGC Partners Tries to Push Through GFI Deal with Raised Bid

As many expected, BGC Partners Inc. has upped its hostile bid for interdealer broker GFI Group Inc. , besting an agreed-to offer between GFI and Chicago trading house CME Group Inc. . BGC Partners said Wednesday after the market close that it had raised its all cash bid for GFI to $5.45 per share, or $694 million, from $5.25 per share. The deal provides a 3.8% premium to BGC's previous offer, which as rejected in November, and also tops an offer from CME for $5.25 in cash and stock. "We -- and w...