ALERT: INTERBREW TO BUY SPATEN

Interbrew announced early Thursday that it has agreed to purchase the brewing assets of Germany's Munich-based Spaten for about $537 million, or about 9 times 2003 earnings (EBIDTA), lower than the 13 times earnings it paid for Beck's.Interbrew will now be the largest volume brewer in Germany with an estimated 11% market share. The deal gives Interbrew a foothold in southern German with the Franziskaner, Spaten, Dinkelacker, and Lowenbrau brands. "This is the right deal at the right price in