Samsung Group, the world's largest smartphone maker, is close to an agreement to acquire Novaled AG, a German maker of materials used to light up smartphone and television screens, said two people familiar with the transaction.
          
An agreement for the South Korean company to buy Novaled for more than $200 million may come as soon as this week, according to one of the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks are private. Novaled is ased in Dresden, Germany.
           
The negotiations are ongoing,?Gerd Guenther, chief marketing officer for Novaled, said by telephone yesterday. He declined to comment further on the discussions.
           
A spokesman for Samsung in London declined to comment on talks with Novaled. (Bloomberg)