Reuters: Energy Transfer advances in auction for Williams

• Energy Transfer Equity (ETE -2.9%) has progressed to the second round of bidding for Williams Cos. (WMB -1.7%), a key milestone in its efforts to clinch a friendly takeover, Reuters reports.
• WMB decided to put itself on the auction block after it rejected an acquisition proposal from ETE in June worth ~$53B at the time including the assumption of debt, aimed at disrupting WMB's plans to acquire its pipeline subsidiary Williams Partners (WPZ -3.6%).
• WMB reportedly has attracted other bidders, although it is not yet clear which other companies made it through to the second round; Kinder Morgan (KMI -3.5%) and Spectra Energy (SE +0.4%) reportedly have expressed interest in WMB, but KMI could face significant antitrust hurdles because of its size.