Deals

Singapore Sports Drink Maker F&N Jumps on Thai Starbucks Deal

Commuters pass a Starbucks in a train station in Bangkok. 

Photographer: Jewel Samad/AFP via Getty Images

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Shares of Fraser and Neave Ltd. got a jolt of caffeine after the company, controlled by Thailand’s richest man, announced plans to enter the Thai coffee market.

F&N, better known for its 100Plus isotonic sports drink, jumped the most in 10 months after saying its joint venture unit would buy out Starbucks Corp.’s operations in Thailand. The deal --- that people with knowledge of the matter said could value Starbucks’ operations there at more than $500 million -- sparked an early rally of as much 5.2% in F&N’s shares.