Business News

Stock futures point to higher open after data

Stock futures pointed to a higher open after data on an improving job market and strong consumer spending provided reassurance that the economy is recovering.

World stocks buoyed by US data as dollar slides

LONDON - European stock markets rose and Wall Street was expected to open higher Wednesday after a batch of stronger than anticipated U.S. economic data on the eve of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Deere reports 4Q loss on charges, lower sales

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Deere and Co. lost $223 million in the fourth quarter, reflecting big charges and a 28 percent slump in sales as demand for tractors, combines and construction equipment sagged amid the global economic downturn.

Disney names new head of worldwide channels

BURBANK, Calif. - Walt Disney Co. has named Carolina Lightcap as president of Disney Channels Worldwide.

Ahead of the Bell: Microsoft CFO shift

NEW YORK - Analysts cautioned Wednesday not to read too much into the coming departure of Microsoft Corp. finance chief Chris Liddell, which was announced Tuesday.

Wyo enviros oppose drilling in 1st national forest

CHEYENNE, Wyo. - Environmentalists are questioning the legal justification offered for what would be the only active oil well inside the nation's first national forest.

Hutchison wants more technology in Texas schools

Suit seeks to stop grazing along upper Missouri

BILLINGS, Mont. - A push to end grazing along a 150-mile stretch of the Missouri River would bar about 10,000 cattle from federal lands in central Montana so that the river valley can be restored to more natural conditions.

Lawmakers aim to thwart Ohio casino development

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A group of central Ohio lawmakers is advancing a plan to beef up cities' rights against four casinos that Ohio voters authorized in November.

Ga. task force: 2012 too soon to find new water

ATLANTA - There are plenty of ways that Georgia can quench metro Atlanta's thirst if the city is cut off from its main reservoir.

Farm runoff in 41 watersheds feeding Mississippi

NEW ORLEANS - The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it aims to stop agricultural runoff in 41 watersheds in 12 states from ending up in the Mississippi River.

FCC chairman: Broadband access should be universal

Tiffany raises outlook as 3Q profit comes in ahead

NEW YORK - Curbed discretionary spending pushed Tiffany & Co.'s U.S. sales lower in the third quarter, contributing to a 1 percent profit decline.

Clearwire Escrow prices $920M senior notes offer

KIRKLAND, Wash. - Wireless broadband service provider Clearwire Corp. said Clearwire Escrow Corp. has priced an offering of $920 million senior secured notes at 97.9 percent.

Ericsson to buy Nortel business for $70M

NEW YORK - LM Ericsson of Sweden said Wednesday it plans to buy Nortel Networks Corp.'s North American GSM business for $70 million in cash.

Oil rises above $76 amid dollar's decline

Oil prices rose above $76 a barrel Wednesday as the dollar weakened and investors awaited data on the U.S. economy and crude inventories.

CNPC, KazMunaiGas seal $2.6 Bln deal

ALMATY, Kazakhstan - China National Petroleum Corp. has finalized a $2.6 billion (⁈illion) deal with Kazakhstan's state energy company to jointly buy the Central Asian country's fourth-largest oil producer, Kazakhstan's KazMunaiGas said in a statement Wednesday.

China criticizes US anti-dumping move on pipes

BEIJING - China criticized a U.S. decision to impose antidumping duties on Chinese-made pipes used by the oil and gas industry and appealed Wednesday to Washington to avoid protectionism.

GM says main plant in Germany crucial to its plans

WIESBADEN, Germany - General Motors Co.'s top European official underlined the future importance of Opel's biggest German plant on Wednesday, while reiterating that there likely will be up to 9,500 jobs cut across the continent.