Electrolux AB has agreed to pay $3.3 billion to acquire General Electric Co.'s appliances business, a move that would put the Swedish group head-to-head with Whirlpool Corp. at the top of the U.S. market for white goods. The deal is the largest ever by Electrolux and comes amid consolidation among makers of stoves, dishwashers and washing machines. Whirlpool agreed to pay more than $1 billion this summer to acquire a majority stake in Italian company Indesit Co. , a purchase that would roughly double Whirlpool's business in Europe. Electrolux shares surged 5.1% in Stockholm on news of the deal.
