WSJ.com: US Business
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AIG's Rescue Bedevils U.S.
Some federal officials are pressing the U.S. pay czar to ease up on AIG compensation curbs for 2010, arguing that the firm and taxpayers would suffer if they are too severe.
H-P Profit Rises on Cost Cutting
Hewlett-Packard's quarterly profit rose 14% as cost cutting boosted profit margins in its services business and offset lower sales in its computer and printer divisions.
Banks Scramble as Debt Comes Due
Banks that have spent the past year dealing with a mountain of bad assets now face the prospect of refinancing, at sharply higher costs, trillions of dollars of debt maturing over the next few years.
Icahn Places Starting Bid for Fontainebleau
Carl Icahn outbid Penn National Gaming to place a starting bid of $155 million for the Fontainebleau, the stalled Las Vegas hotel-and-casino project whose construction is expected to cost nearly $3.5 billion.
MAN's Chief Executive Resigns
MAN SE's chief executive, Hakan Samuelsson, unexpectedly resigned his post at the European truck maker, effective immediately.
Eni to Buy Oil Stakes in Uganda
Italy's Eni is to acquire stakes in two Ugandan oil fields from U.K.-listed Heritage Oil for $1.35 billion.
Playboy Strips Away Expenses
Playboy magazine reached a deal to outsource most of its business tasks to American Media Inc., publisher of Star and Men's Fitness, in order to conserve dwindling cash.
Heinz Pushes Its Ketchup in Mexico
H.J. Heinz is making a big marketing push for its ketchup in the small, but fast-growing, Mexican market, as the company positions itself for sales growth in emerging markets.
Reliance Makes Chemical Bid
Reliance Industries made a nonbinding cash offer of around $12 billion to take a controlling interest in LyondellBasell when the chemical maker exits bankruptcy.
EADS Braces for Insider-Trading Trial
A week-long trial in the alleged insider-trading case involving EADS could have deep repercussions at the parent company of Airbus as well as on the authority of France's stock-market watchdog.
China Banks Warned on Capital
China's banking regulator told banks to comply with capital requirements or face sanctions, the latest signal that Beijing is worried about risks in the financial system.
EU to Coordinate Opel Spending Plans
EU governments agreed to hold off striking individual deals with GM for aid to its Opel unit and instead coordinate their spending plans.
Campbell Soup Net Rises 17%
Campbell Soup's earnings rose 17% as margins improved. The company raised its forecast and said soup sales began rising as the quarter closed.
FAA Plans Tougher Ice Rules
The FAA moved to require small commuter planes be retrofitted with enhanced ice-protection systems, action advocated by government crash investigators and outside safety experts.
KDIC Sells Woori Stake
State-run Korea Deposit Insurance Corp. sold a 7% stake in Woori Finance Holdings for US$750.4 million in pursuit of eventual privatization of the financial holding company.
Vivendi Increases Stake in Canal Plus France
French private broadcaster Television Francaise 1 said it has agreed to sell its 9.9% stake in Canal Plus France to Vivendi for $1.12 billion.
ESPN Plans Portuguese for World Cup
ESPN plans to broadcast 2010 World Cup soccer games in Portuguese on its Spanish-language channel, hoping to steal some viewers from Univision.
Tech Data Sees Improving Outlook
Tech Data said it sees signs of improving technology spending as the technology distributor reported an 8% drop in quarterly sales from a year ago but an increase from the second quarter.
Peet's Coffee Raises Offer for Diedrich
Peet's and Green Mountain Coffee are in a bidding war for Diedrich Coffee, highlighting the sudden popularity of single-serve coffee pods.
Lloyds Raises $14 Billion
The U.K. bank said it had raised the maximum $14 billion of contingent core Tier 1 and core Tier 1 capital through its non-U.S. bond exchange offer, and said the U.S. exchange offer is already heavily over-subscribed.
BJ Services Swings to a Loss
Low demand for oil-field and pumping services hurts BJ, in what could be one of its last quarters as an independent company.
Analog Devices Profit Falls 27%
Analog Devices Inc.'s fiscal-fourth-quarter profit dropped 27% on lower sales and margins, but the company reported a double-digit increase in order rates from the third quarter.
Google Buys Display-Ad Start-Up
Google agreed to buy Teracent, which has developed technology designed to deliver customized display ads in real time. Terms weren't disclosed.
Tyson Expects Prices to Rise
Tyson posted a $455 million loss on a write-down. The meat processor expects U.S. beef and pork prices to rise next year as the weakening dollar spurs the company to shift output toward exports.
People's United to Acquire Financial Federal
People's United Financial agreed to acquire Financial Federal in a deal valued at $738 million, increasing its presence in the equipment-finance sector.
Gulf Air Launches New Strategy
Bahrain's national carrier hopes to save almost $3 billion over five years as the struggling airline restructures to compete in the Gulf region's increasingly cutthroat aviation market.
Ciena Buys Nortel Assets
Ciena agreed to acquire a division owned by Nortel that develops networking gear used to transmit data and voice traffic within and between cities, for a total of $769 million.
Recovering Demand Boosts LDK Solar
LDK Solar posted a surprise profit for the third quarter amid growing demand for solar-energy products in recent months, as the Chinese maker of solar wafers and modules broke a string of three consecutive quarterly losses.
J.P. Morgan Appoints China Chief
J.P. Morgan said it has appointed Linklaters LLP's Asia managing partner Zili Shao as its new China chairman and chief executive.
Rothschild Chairman Focuses on Family
Baron David de Rothschild intends that the bank he now chairs will retain a Rothschild at the helm.
