WSJ : General Electric In Talks To Buy Baker Hughes

(RTTNews) - General Electric Co. (GE) is in talks to buy Baker Hughes Inc. (BHI), the Wall Street Journal reported citing people familiar with the matter.

BHI closed Thursday's regular trading at $54.55, down $0.21 or 0.38 percent. But, in the after-hours, the stock gained $3.95 or 7.24 percent.

The Journal reported that GE has approached the oil-field services company about a takeover, the people said, but details of the talks couldn't be learned, and the talks could fall apart before an agreement is reached.

In 2014, Baker Hughes agreed to sell itself to rival Halliburton Co. for $35 billion, or $78.62 per share. Earlier this year, the U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit to block the proposed merger, and the deal fell apart.