Bridgestone ups offer

SAN FRANCISCO: Bridgestone raised its bid on Thursday for US auto service chain Pep Boys, a merger that would catapult it to the ranks of top players in the US car maintenance business. Bridgestone, already the world’s largest tyre maker, increased its offer for the US company to $17 per share, from its last offer of $15. The boosted bid brings the total value of the deal to about $947 million, according to a press release from the two companies.