US justice seeks information from beer giant AB Inbev

Global beer giant AB Inbev will give further information to US justice officials over its planned purchase of Mexican brewer Grupo Modelo, which makes Corona, according to a statement received Saturday. Anheuser-Busch InBev said the request for additional information is "often referred to as a 'second request' and is a normal part of the review process." "The company intends to respond expeditiously to the second request and continues to expect the transaction to close during the first quarter of 2013," AB Inbev added in the statement. The beer titan, whose brands include Budweiser and Stella Artois, announced in June a deal to take full control of Grupo Modelo for $20.1 billion (16.3 billion euros). The deal still needs the regulatory green light from several competition authorities, especially in Mexico. The deal would create a behemoth spanning 24 countries which produces around 400 million hectoliters of beer volume per year, with estimated revenues of $47 billion.