Airbus wins $221 million U.S. Army order for 41 helicopters
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. unit of Europe’s Airbus Group was awarded a contract worth $221 million to build 41 more UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters for the U.S. Army, the Pentagon said in its daily digest of major contracts on Thursday.
Greece agrees to talk to creditors in EU debt progress
BRUSSELS (Reuters) – Greece agreed on Thursday to talk to its creditors about the way out of its hated international bailout in a political climbdown that could prevent its new leftist-led government running out of money as early as next month.
Exclusive: Shire Plc moves to prepare Salix bid – sources
(Reuters) – British pharmaceutical company Shire Plc has taken initial steps towards a bid for U.S. bowel drugmaker Salix Pharmaceuticals Inc and is working with advisers on a potential offer, according to people familiar with the matter.
Kraft Foods shakes up leadership, reports quarterly loss
(Reuters) – Kraft Foods Group Inc said its chief financial officer and two other senior executives would leave the company, and the maker of Velveeta cheese and Oscar Mayer meats reported a quarterly loss due to a charge related to its pension plan.
AIG fourth-quarter earnings miss estimates on low rates, refinancing
NEW YORK (Reuters) – American International Group Inc reported lower-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings on Thursday as low interest rates and refinancing expensive debt hurt the insurer’s results.
Exclusive: Brazil seeks to block return to free trade in autos with Mexico – sources
MEXICO CITY/BRASILIA (Reuters) – Grappling with tumbling auto sales and weak economic growth, Brazil wants to derail a pact that would allow unlimited imports of cars from Mexico, sources familiar with the situation say, in a move that could stoke trade tensions between Latin America’s largest economies.
Wall St. ends sharply higher on tech, Ukraine deal
NEW YORK (Reuters) – U.S. stocks ended sharply higher on Thursday, with a rally in technology stocks leading the Nasdaq to a 15-year high, while a ceasefire agreement between Russia and Ukraine also eased tensions.
Valeant secures financing for potential Salix bid: Bloomberg
(Reuters) – Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc has arranged financing for a potential bid for bowel-drug maker Salix Pharmaceuticals Ltd , Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.
Exclusive: Exxon wants five-year Beaumont pact to avert strikes during buildout – sources
HOUSTON (Reuters) – Exxon Mobil Corp’s push to persuade workers at its Beaumont, Texas refinery to sign a five-year contract, nearly twice as long as the last one, is part of an effort to avert labor stoppages during a possible expansion that could mak…
Oil jumps on weak dollar, industry cuts in jobs, spending
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Oil prices rallied sharply on Thursday after two days of losses as news of deeper industry spending cuts and a sinking U.S. dollar revived buying.
