Read more Alliance Data Systems Corp. stories on Newserhttp://www.newser.com/taggrid/2032/alliance-data-systems-corp.htmlhttp://img1-cdn.newser.com/images/newser-black250x40.gifhttp://www.newser.com/2012 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorThu, 24 May 2012 13:50:41 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/2288/blackstone-makes-78b-deal-for-alliance.htmlJ. Kelman<img src='http://img1-cdn.newser.com/getimage.aspx?mediaid=4732&width=45&height=45&crop=Y&updateddate=20110401035045' border='0' />Blackstone has snapped up credit card services provider Alliance Data for $7.8 billion, joining a surge of private equity into dull but profitable back-office firms. The 30% above-market offer for Alliance, which also runs a data processing unit, is the latest in a wave of takeovers in the financial-processing...Consumer Spending Drives Two-Thirds Of U.S. Economyhttp://www.newser.com/story/2288/blackstone-makes-78b-deal-for-alliance.htmlThu, 17 May 2007 14:55:01 CDT