Microsoft Corp has reached an agreement to acquire Greenfield Online Inc, owner of Ciao GmbH, a provider of consumer and price comparison websites. The move will extend Microsoft’s search and e-commerce services in Europe. Under the terms of the agreement, Microsoft will commence a cash tender offer to purchase all of the outstanding shares of Greenfield Online for $17.50 per share in a transaction valued at approximately $486 million.

Holland America will make an investment of $40 million per ship in the coming years as part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence program. The improvements will be made first to the MS Veendam next April; the MS Rotterdam, MS Ryndam, MS Maasdam and MS Statendam will follow over the next two years.

France-based Accor Group’s first-half 2008 results reflect the impact of the strategic initiatives deployed since early 2006. Disposals of non-strategic businesses and restructuring of real estate to improve profitability

Thomas Cook’s charter airline Condor has joined “early talks” with TUI Travel’s TUIfly Germany and Lufthansa’s Germanwings unit over a possible three-way merger, the companies said on Thursday.

Lufthansa, Europe’s second-largest airline, plans to pay EUR65 million euros ($96.1 million) for a 45 percent stake in fledgling carrier Brussels Airlines with the option to buy all of the company in two years.

European Union anti-trust authorities said on Friday they had launched an investigation into a planned tie-up between British Airways, American Airlines and Spanish carrier Iberia.