ALSO. . .

Shareholders of beer maker Guinness and food giant Grand Metropolitan have approved a merger of the British companies. The new group would be called Diageo, and stock for the company would begin trading Dec. 17. The deal would create the world’s seventh-largest food and beverage company, with a market value of about $36 billion. . . . Capital Automotive REIT, a real estate investment trust formed to invest in car dealerships and related properties, plans to sell 15 million common shares in an initial public offering. The company, based in Arlington, Va., is the first publicly offered REIT formed just to buy, lease back and finance the development of properties for use by auto dealers. . . . Belgium’s parliament approved a law banning all tobacco advertising and sponsorship. The move could prove a precursor to a Europe-wide ban. The approval by Belgium’s senate came as a surprise, because the body had been expected to pass an amended version that would allow some exceptions, such as Formula One racing.