International Business News - Consumer Goods http://www.ibtimes.com/subsection/industries/consumergoods.htm All articles are copyrighted by IBTimes.com 400 100 http://www.ibtimes.com/ http://www.ibtimes.com/images/top_logo_ibt2_3.gif About 3,600 workers at American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. will find out soon whether a new contract was worth 80 days without a company paycheck. 117978 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080517/uaw-american-axle-reach-deal-that-could-end-strike.htm Sat, 17 May 2008 06:44:25 EDT An American Axle and Manufacturing Holdings Inc. spokeswoman confirms the auto parts supplier has reached a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers that could end an 11-week strike. 117975 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/source-uaw-american-axle-reach-deal-that-could-end-strike.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 23:23:18 EDT Pioneering winemaker Robert Mondavi, who helped put Californian Cabernets and Chardonnays on the world's wine-tasting map, died Friday at the age of 94. 117972 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/47848-robert-mondavi.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/winemaker-robert-mondavi-constellation-brands-chardonnay.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/winemaker-robert-mondavi-constellation-brands-chardonnay.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 22:26:05 EDT The GT-R--one of the quickest, fastest, most capable, and, arguably, desirable cars in the world--shares a showroom and engineers with the $13,335 Versa 117948 http://www.ibtimes.com/data/articleimgs/47744-.jpg http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/nissan.htm http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/nissan.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 19:32:23 EDT A striking United Auto Workers local at a key General Motors Corp. factory ratified a new contract with the company Friday afternoon and will resume production on Monday. 117697 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/striking-workers-vote-on-local-gm-plant-contract.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 18:10:07 EDT Shares of Advance Auto Parts Inc. rose on Friday as the company reported a better than forecasted profit for the first quarter. 117785 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/advanced-auto-parts-shares-earnings-profit.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 18:04:12 EDT Homebuilder Hovnanian Enterprises Inc. on Friday priced its $600 million private offering of senior notes. The offering, for 11.5 percent senior notes due May 1, 2013, is expected to close on May 27. 117584 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/hovnanian-enterprises-to-refinance-debt.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 17:56:13 EDT Standard & Poor's Ratings Services on Friday lowered its non-investment grade corporate credit and senior unsecured debt ratings for Lennar Corp. to "BB" from "BB+," citing the effects of the housing slump on the homebuilder's profitability. 117910 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/s-p-cuts-lennar-ratings-citing-housing-slump-woes.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 17:21:27 EDT Shares of Jamba Inc., which operates the Jamba Juice smoothie chain, ended higher after the company said it will close 10 underperforming stores and cut 53 workers to cut costs. 117787 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/jamba-shares-fall-after-company-cuts-growth-jobs.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 17:17:30 EDT Milwaukee won't have to worry about a future without beer. The chief executive of Miller Brewing Co. says the nation's second-largest brewer is committed to staying in its hometown. Tom Long made that commitment even as Miller and the nation's third-biggest brewer, Molson Coors Brewing Co., are planning to merge their U.S. operations in a deal expected to be done by midsummer. 117904 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/miller-ceo-brewer-is-committed-to-milwaukee.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 17:04:17 EDT General Motors Corp. shares took the biggest loss on the Dow Jones industrial average Friday, following a jump in oil prices and a surprise rise in home construction. 117902 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/djia-leaders-laggards-gm-cvx.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:58:37 EDT Libbey Inc. expects to register with the Securities and Exchange Commission to sell up to $550 million in stock, bonds and other investments to raise money to pay off debt, the glass tableware maker said Friday. 117897 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/libbey-to-register-to-sell-550m-in-investments.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:49:54 EDT Life is sweet for banana producers. In the first quarter, Chiquita Brands, the No. 2 banana producer in North America, swung to a better-than-expected profit as it raised prices. Banana sales rose 12 percent to $584 million, helped by tight supply and a weak dollar. In 2006, 59 percent of sales came from outside North America. 117893 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/market-spotlight-banana-producers.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:31:05 EDT Household durables stocks fell Friday after crude oil prices again closed at an all-time high, tempering positive news that new home construction jumped in April. 117875 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/closing-glance-shares-of-household-durables-slide.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:11:00 EDT Major beverage stocks were mixed in late trading Friday, amid broad market losses as oil prices spiked to more than $127 a barrel. How shares of some major beverage makers performed: 117874 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/closing-glance-major-beverage-stocks-mixed.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:10:15 EDT Shares of apparel makers closed lower Friday as investors reacted to disappointing consumer confidence data and soaring oil prices. The Reuters/University of Michigan consumer sentiment reading for May fell to 59.5 _ the weakest reading since June 1980. 117871 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/closing-glance-apparel-makers-down-on-oil-prices.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:08:52 EDT The U.S. Department of Agriculture said Friday it expects beef exports to soar 15 percent in 2008, which could boost profit at meat producers. The rise stems from the opening of the South Korean market to U.S. beef. Last month, South Korea said it would begin allowing imports of bone-in beef from the U.S. The country had banned that type of beef from the U.S. more than four years ago after a mad cow disease outbreak in the U.S. 117869 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/commodity-wrap-beef-export-predictions.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 16:07:22 EDT Campbell Soup Co. reports earnings for the fiscal third quarter on Monday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period. 117836 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/earnings-preview-campbell-soup-co.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 15:59:28 EDT Del Monte Foods Co., which produces and distributes food and pet products, said Friday it is exploring strategic options, including a possible sale, of its StarKist seafood business. 117851 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/del-monte-foods-could-sell-starkist-brand.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 15:26:50 EDT The chief executive of sportswear maker Lululemon Athletica Inc. exercised options for 242,049 shares of common stock, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. 117845 http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/20080516/lululemon-chief-executive-exercises-options.htm Fri, 16 May 2008 15:09:39 EDT