Yahoo! News: Business

Stocks could sputter with Black Friday eyed (Reuters)


Reuters - U.S. stocks could sputter next week as volumes dry up in holiday-shortened trading and with a slew of economic reports likely to illustrate the recovery is still fragile.




Hershey mulls $17 billion solo bid for Cadbury: source (Reuters)


Reuters - U.S. chocolate maker Hershey Co is considering launching a bid of at least $17 billion for British chocolatier Cadbury Plc as it seeks to trump a hostile offer by Kraft Foods Inc, a source familiar with the matter said on Friday.




Ciena takes Nortel unit auction to 2nd day: sources (Reuters)


Reuters - The auction for Nortel Network's optical networking and carrier ethernet business went into a second day on Saturday, after Ciena called for a break in the auction late on Friday, two sources said.




Bank of America CEO Lewis may delay retiring: report (Reuters)
Reuters - Bank of America Corp Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis has said he would consider postponing his retirement if directors need more time to find a successor or smooth the transition to the next CEO, the Wall Street Journal reported on Friday.

GE-Vivendi talks over NBC Universal stalled: report (Reuters)


Reuters - Talks between General Electric and Vivendi over the future of NBC Universal have stalled, the New York Times reported on Friday night.




New questions arise in Pequot trading probe (AP)
AP - A new development related to the government's investigation of possible insider trading at a major hedge fund has raised questions in the case and caught the attention of two key senators.

New Hampshire AG seeks bankruptcy for mortgage co. (AP)
AP - The New Hampshire attorney general's office wants to force a mortgage company that closed suddenly into bankruptcy.

Ohio AG sues credit agencies for public pensions (AP)
AP - The three major credit ratings agencies gave mortgage-backed securities unjustifiably high ratings in return for lucrative fees, losing at least $457 million for five Ohio public employee pension and retirement funds, the state's attorney general alleged in a lawsuit filed Friday.

Desperate retailers seek holiday season rescue (AFP)


AFP - US retailers are taking desperate measures to spark holiday sales in the face of what promises to be another troubled year-end shopping season.