07 Apr 2005 02:51 PM

Leaders of the Group of Eight promised to investors Wednesday they would increase profitability and rating of the company in case they manage to oust Morgan Stanley Chairman and Chief Executive Philip Purcell.

07 Apr 2005 12:25 PM

The UK companies, including Marks & Spencer Group Plc, BT Group Plc, Caterpillar Inc. and BNP Paribas SA, try to offset losses from their foreign subsidiaries under the new law that bars the companies from deducting losses made in foreign units.

07 Apr 2005 08:24 AM

Despite Wednesday’s speech of the European trade commissioner Peter Mandelson with expressed hopes for fruitful negotiations in resolving Boeing-Airbus subsidies, issue an accord is unlikely to be reached.

07 Apr 2005 08:12 AM

Wednesday morning the MCI board one more time announced its refusal of Qwest’s cash and stock offer ($8.9 billion), referring to Qwest’s financial troubles and reluctance to offer a higher price. Instead, the board voted to stick with a bid from New York-based Verizon ($7.6 billion).

06 Apr 2005 06:06 PM

New banktruptcy law, expected to be passed by Congress next week, can be a hurdle to the crowds of consumers that try to resolve their credit-card issues with the banktruptcy protection filings. The

06 Apr 2005 05:38 PM

The US companies face as much as $100 billion in corporate debt this quarter, the biggest repayment since 2000, according to Fitch Ratings and Thomson Financial. The

06 Apr 2005 01:31 PM

The board of MCI Inc. late Tuesday night voted to stick with an accepted bid from Verizon Communications Inc., rejecting a higher offer from Qwest Communications International Inc.

06 Apr 2005 01:10 PM

Long-term credit rating of General Motors Corp. has been lowered by Moody’s Investors Service, one of the three biggest rating companies, to Baa3, closing the world’s largest auto maker to speculative grade. It also cut by one notch the long-term rating of the company’s finance branch, General Motors Acceptance Corp., to Baa2. The forecasts for the future of both companies ratings seem negative.

06 Apr 2005 10:39 AM

French drinks group Pernod Ricard SA and Allied Domecq PLC has reported on Monday that they are in talks concerning

06 Apr 2005 09:41 AM

After the government gave in to manufacturers’ requests concerning textile imports to China, US manufacturers are preparing the next series of requests for import limits on other products. "The United States has overprotectionist, irrational and unreasonable arrangements," said Qin Gang, a spokesman

05 Apr 2005 01:28 PM

Swiss Life reported on Tuesday that its 2004 profit more than doubled on cost saving programmes. The total 2004 net profit rocketed to 624 million Swiss francs ($754.5 million) from 233 million francs for the prior year. Premiums rose by 8% to 20.3 billion francs. "Swiss

05 Apr 2005 12:20 PM

The Army is going to re-examine the Boeing Co.-led Future Combat System program to better contain costs and ensure stronger oversight, according to defense officials familiar with the situation.

05 Apr 2005 10:36 AM

Australian company BHP Billiton faces harsh criticism from major Chinese steelmakers on its plan to raise prices.

05 Apr 2005 07:44 AM

General Motors Corp. was shocked by unusual moves of its chairman and chief executive G. Richard Wagoner Jr. as he decided to draw tight rein over worrying North American operations. Wagoner reassigned two top executives, Robert A. Lutz and Gary L. Cowger that have been in charge of the region. According to their new appointments they will have to deal with global product development, global manufacturing and labor

05 Apr 2005 07:32 AM

New York-based Classic Media, owner of the rights to the beloved canine character "Lassie," is pursuing a bid for HIT Entertainment Plc, which creates TV programs, videos and DVDS for characters, sources familiar with the process said on Monday. HIT found itself in the center of a three-way, billion-dollar battle. Another bidding parties are represented by Canada’s Lions Gate Entertainment Corp. and London-based private equity