updated Wed December 12, 2007

China Airlines to Buy Up to 20 of Airbus' A350 Wide-Bodied Jets on Heals of Big Libyan Sale

PARIS (AP) -- Taiwan's China Airlines ordered 14 Airbus A350 wide-bodied planes and signed an option for an additional six, the European planemaker said Tuesday.The sale follows Libyan Airlines' firm order for ...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

ECB Drains 21 Billion Euros From Markets in Quick Tender

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) -- The European Central Bank said Tuesday it drained 21 billion euros ($30.9 billion) from money markets in a one-day tender, a move designed to keep markets steady.The bank, which overs...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Boeing Reaffirms Latest Schedule for 787 Flight Test, Deliveries

CHICAGO (AP) -- Boeing Co. said Tuesday that its schedule for the 787 Dreamliner remains on track and it does not currently envision further delays in the much-ballyhooed airplane.Officials of the aerospace com...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Goodell, Jones Pitch NFL Network to Texas Lawmakers

AUSTIN (AP) -- The fight between the NFL and large cable companies has hit the Texas state Capitol, with commissioner Roger Goodell and Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones making their pitch to get their fledgling...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

GameStop Opens First Combined Store and Tournament Center in San Jose, Calif.

GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) -- Video-game retailer GameStop Corp. said Tuesday it has opened its first combined store and game tournament center.The 4,000-square-foot center, in San Jose, Calif., will have video game...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Freddie Mac Chief Says Business Will 'Get Tougher Before It Gets Better' As Defaults Rise

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The chief executive of Freddie Mac estimated Tuesday the mortgage finance company will lose an additional $5.5 billion to $7.5 billion over the next few years as the housing crisis worsens an...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Cuomo Settles With Lender in Student Loan Probe

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday he has settled his investigation of a student loan consolidation company that paid fees to colleges and sports departments to help the le...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Washington Mutual Shares Drop After Bank Announces Plan to Improve Its Capital Position

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Washington Mutual Inc. tumbled in Tuesday after analysts cut ratings and price targets on the bank after it said it would cut jobs, slash its dividend, set aside more money for loan l...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Smith Micro Software Shares Jump After $59.7M Cash Buyout Deal for PCTEL Mobile Unit

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Smith Micro Software Inc. rose Tuesday after the technology company said it would buy PCTEL's cell-phone and wireless Internet software unit for $59.7 million cash.Shares gained $1.54...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Boeing Selected to Partner With Raytheon on $160M Deal for Satellite Ground Control System

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Boeing Co. said Tuesday it will team with Raytheon Co. on a recently awarded $160 million contract to develop a ground control system that's part of a new $1.8 billion satellite program. Walt...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Burger King Climbs After Goldman Sachs Upgrades Stock to 'Buy' on Sales, Margin Expectations

NEW YORK (AP) -- Burger King Corp. shares rose Tuesday after a Goldman Sachs analyst raised his rating on the stock, saying he expects the nation's No. 2 hamburger chain will continue to improve its sales and m...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Red Sox Affiliated Firm Buys Minor-League Team

BOSTON (AP) -- The Fenway Sports Group, owned by the same company that owns the Boston Red Sox, has agreed to buy the Salem Avalanche of the Class-A Carolina League.FSG is the managing partner of the ownership ...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Cal Dive International Inc. Completes Acquisition of Horizon Offshore Inc. for $628 Million

HOUSTON (AP) -- Marine contractor Cal Dive International Inc. said Tuesday it has completed its acquisition of Horizon Offshore Inc. for $628 million after Horizon's shareholders approved the deal Monday.Each s...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Czech Gov't Cancels 907 Million Euro Armored Vehicles Contract With Austria's Steyr

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) -- The Czech government on Tuesday said it had canceled a controversial 907 million euro ($1.3 billion) deal to buy armored vehicles from Austria's Steyr, a unit of U.S. General Dyna...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Comcast Corp. Hires Kathryn Zachem to Fill New Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Position

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- Comcast Corp., the nation's largest cable television operator, said Tuesday that Kathryn A. Zachem has been hired as vice president of regulatory affairs, effective Feb. 1.Zachem, 49, joins...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Wyndham Worldwide Sinks As Investors React to Weak 1st-Quarter Adjusted Profit Outlook

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Wyndham Worldwide Corp. slid Tuesday after the hotel operator forecast weak first-quarter adjusted earnings.The company anticipates 2008 first-quarter adjusted net income in a range o...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

FuelCell Shares Rise Sharply After Company Reports Narrower Loss and Order for 2 Power Units

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of FuelCell Energy Inc. surged Tuesday after the company reported a narrower fourth-quarter loss and an order for two power plants.FuelCell stock rose $1.66, or 16.3 percent, to $11.86 i...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Smith Micro Software's Shares Jump After $59.7M Cash Buyout Deal for PCTEL's Mobile Unit

NEW YORK (AP) -- Shares of Smith Micro Software Inc. rose Tuesday afternoon after the technology company said it would buy PCTEL Inc.'s cell phone and wireless Internet software unit for $59.7 million in cash. ...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

WTO to Take Up New Zealand-Australia Apple Dispute

GENEVA (AP) -- The World Trade Organization will rule on whether Australia's 86-year ban on imports of New Zealand apples is legal under international commerce law.New Zealand will ask for the creation of an in...

updated Wed December 12, 2007

Nevada Casino Group Files Court Challenge of Tax Hike Plan

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- A major Nevada casino group has filed a court challenge against a ballot initiative by teachers calling for higher taxes on the biggest resorts to get more money for the state's K-12 s...