The Globe and Mail reports in its Friday edition that Australia's antitrust watchdog on Thursday gave the green light to a $9.1-billion (Australian) buyout of rail-freight giant Asciano Ltd. by a global consortium led by Brookfield Asset Management. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe says the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) had been concerned the deal would give Asciano's new owners, which include Australian stevedoring company Qube Holdings Ltd., too much control of the freight market. ACCC chairman Rod Sims said the regulator had concluded there was "not likely to be a substantial lessening of competition in any market" after the deal was restructured to address officials' concerns. Investors sent Qube shares to a two-month high of $2.505 (Australian) on the news. Asciano's share price was 0.9 per cent higher in late-morning trading. "To come through with no objections, no further delays, was a little bit of a surprise," said John Corr at Aurora Funds Management. Brookfield closed Thursday at $45.68, down 31 cents on the Toronto Stock Exchange.