EnsCo Plc (ESV.N) will its buy rival Pride International Inc (PDE.N) for about $7.3 billion in a deal that would create the world's second-largest offshore oil and gas driller, according to the companies. The two companies said on Monday they had entered into a definitive merger agreement that valued Pride's shares at $41.60 apiece, a premium of 21 percent to Friday's closing price. Pride's shares climbed 17 percent to $40.15 in premarket trading, while EnsCo's shares fell 3 percent to $52.80. (Reporting by Matt Daily, editing by Maureen Bavdek)
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