PeopleSoft Inc on Monday agreed to a sweetened $10.3 billion buyout by rival software maker Oracle Corp, relenting after a bitter, 18-month take-over saga marked by personal insults, courtroom battles and the ouster of PeopleSoft's chief executive. Oracle's bid of $26.50 per share was approved by the boards of directors of both companies, just three weeks after PeopleSoft had again rejected a deal despite support from a majority of its shareholders. The price topped Oracle's previous offer of $24 a share, which Oracle had insisted was its best and final bid. Oracle argued that it needed to acquire PeopleSoft to better compete with market leader SAP AG of Germany and Microsoft Corp. PeopleSoft shares jumped 10 percent to $26.38 in pre-market trade on the Inet electronic brokerage system, to their highest level in 19 months. Oracle shares rose 7 percent to $14.19, a 10-month high.