COMPANIES

Nike Inc reported a first-quarter net profit on Tuesday that beat Wall Street estimates as the company cut costs to counter fewer orders and revenue declines in most of its key geographic regions.

Retrofitting old office buildings can reduce their energy usage and make them more desirable for commercial customers. It also can cut down on greenhouse-gas emissions since commercial real estate is responsible for 20 percent of U.S. energy use, environmentalists say.

U.S. airlines have slashed capacity, and recession-battered demand is showing signs of returning, but carriers like Southwest Airlines may scramble to fill planes this winter with big fare discounts, a fare expert said on Tuesday.

Jonathan Stempel

French food group Danone said on Tuesday that it was not holding talks with U.S. paediatrics formula maker Mead Johnson and was not seeking any advice on the issue.

Accretive Health Inc AH.N, a provider of technology and services aimed at helping hospitals manage their revenue cycles, plans to raise as much as $200 million in an initial public offering, according to a prospectus filed with U.S. regulators.

A survey of small and mid-sized companies in 12 major global markets showed growing confidence in the state of global trade, Europe's biggest bank, HSBC, said on Tuesday.

A top U.S. senator said on Tuesday that he is moving forward with his effort to consolidate bank supervision into a single federal regulator, despite criticism from current bank regulators who do not want to lose their authorities.

U.S. retail gasoline demand rose 0.9 percent last week compared with the previous week, according to a MasterCard SpendingPulse report released on Tuesday.

Real estate developer Stephen Ross's Related Cos is among the bidders for the assets of failed Corus Bank, a source familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co expects to save $215 million under a four-year contract with the United Steelworkers union that the company said on Tuesday gives it flexibility to change schedules, work rules and adjust the size of the workforce.

U.S. mortgage rates held at their lowest level since late May in the latest week, low enough to continue to spur home loan demand and help the hard-hit U.S. housing market recover.

Apparel and home-furnishings retailer Bon-Ton Stores Inc said it will start operating jewelry departments, earlier licensed to bankrupt jeweler Finlay Fine Jewelry Corp, at 86 of its nameplate stores in late October.

Northrop Grumman said the U.S. government had given rival Boeing a fundamentally unfair edge in their renewed battle for a potential $50 billion contract to build aerial tankers.

Africa's second-biggest grocer Pick 'n' Pay Holdings Ltd said on Tuesday it expects to report an 8-15 percent rise in full year headline earnings per share, sending its shares down more than 4 percent.

Coca-Cola Co and its largest independent bottler, Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc, are teaming up on an ad campaign against a possible U.S. tax on soft drinks, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

RailAmerica Inc, which owns and operates short-line and regional freight railroads in North America, has set the terms for its planned initial public offering, which is scheduled for October.

Nigeria is not offering oil licences currently operated by Chevron, ExxonMobil and Royal Dutch Shell to China while renewal negotiations are ongoing, a government minister said on Tuesday.

Taser International said it received a contract from a U.S. federal law enforcement agency for its stun guns and related accessories, sending its shares up 7 percent. The contract with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) for its X26 electronic control devices can potentially extend for a five-year period, the company said.

Jolt Co Inc, maker of the famous Jolt Cola energy drink, filed for bankruptcy protection in a Manhattan court on Monday, after a dispute with drinks can maker Rexam.

Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) plans to consolidate purchases of resin materials among group firms to cut costs and strengthen its bargaining power, the Nikkei business daily reported.

A unit of Navistar International Corp (NAV.N) and China's Jianghuai Automobile (600418.SS) plan to set up a 50-50 truck venture with investment of at least 2 billion yuan ($293 million), Jianghuai said on Tuesday.

China's Ministry of Commerce has approved plans by General Motors Co [GM.UL] to acquire certain assets of bankrupt Delphi Corp (DPHIQ.PK), Xinhua, the country's official news agency, reported on Tuesday.

U.S. auto sales likely fell in September back to the nearly three-decade lows of early 2009 without government incentives to spur buying, leaving in doubt the timing and pace of a recovery for the battered industry.

Africa's biggest transport and logistics group Imperial Holdings Ltd (IPLJ.J) said on Tuesday it had agreed to buy a 56 percent stake in auto part retailer Midas Group.

The following are some of the major companies planning initial public offerings on the Hong Kong stock exchange.

Newegg Inc, a venture-capital backed online retailer of computer hardware and software, plans to raise up to $175 million in an initial public offering, according to a regulatory filing.

Shares of Peak Sport Products Co tumbled 17 percent on Tuesday, in the worst debut of a Hong Kong IPO in the current wave of offerings.

Shares in Oil India are expected to rise 5 to 7 percent on debut on Wednesday following lukewarm starts by two recent large listings, although traders said firm demand for the stock should help it hold on to gains.