COMPANIES

The times when PC sales were sky high and seemingly unaffected by the credit crisis have come to an end with the industry taking a beating from the current global economic crisis.

On March 5 Pepsi reinvigorated its beverage lineup with the announcement of three new products as part of its “Refresh Everything” campaign.

On March 5 BlueStar Energy Services, Inc. announced that it has closed a new secured credit facility.

Apparel retailer Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced Thursday that its sales fell from the same month last year.

The chairman of Citic Group, China's top financial conglomerate, said on Thursday Spain's second-largest bank, BBVA, has a strong desire to raise its stake in CITIC Bank.

Barnes & Noble Inc, the world's largest bookseller, said it acquired e-book seller Fictionwise for $15.7 million in cash, to expand its presence in digital world.

General Motors Corp on Thursday said its auditors had raised substantial doubt about its ability to survive outside bankruptcy if it fails to stem its losses and stop burning cash.

PepsiCo is launching three new beverages, all sweetened with natural sugar instead of corn syrup, in a bid to widen its appeal in upscale stores and revive nostalgia for its brands.

Vodafone's Turkish unit said on Thursday it would shed 260 jobs as part of a company restructure, as it seeks to improve its performance in Turkey's highly competitive mobile phone market.

Goldman Sachs is looking to sell some of its Indian investments, including a 5 percent stake in the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the Daily News and Analysis said on Thursday, citing people familiar with the development.

Exxon Mobil Corp. and the National Community Action Foundation entered a new partnership on Wednesday, aiming to enhance worker training programs around the country.

Seoul shares are set to rise on Thursday after solid gains on Wall Street, with news that an additional Chinese stimulus package is in the works likely to boost sentiment and eyes on the won currency.

International cable supplier, Eland Cables, achieved the highest ever rank of any electrical cable supplier, taking home the ‘Best Companies to Work for’ in 2009 from The Sunday Times.

Royal Bank of Scotland said on Wednesday it plans to sell the retail and commercial banking businesses of newly-acquired ABN AMRO China, part of efforts to exit from these operations in Asia.

TORONTO - Biovail Corp and its founder were so worried in 2003 that the drug company's quarterly results would not meet targets that they fabricated the effects of a fatal truck crash that destroyed a shipment of drugs, Canada's main securities regulator said on Wednesday.

General Motors Corp’s German automaker unit Opel might cut 3,500 jobs if the government does not lend a helping hand, a press report said on Wednesday.

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the drugmaker Wyeth on Wednesday, holding that pharmaceutical companies can be held liable for harm from medicines that carry warnings approved by federal regulators.

Canadian Scotiabank on Wednesday said it has acquired select assets and 60 employees from UBS Energy, including trading technology.

HELSINKI - Google said on Wednesday it would spend 160 million euros ($200 million) on building a new data centre at the site of an old paper mill in southeastern Finland.

HONG KONG - Tullow Oil is the latest Africa-focused energy firm to draw Chinese takeover interest, but the $8 billion oil and gas independent, emboldened by its prospects, has snubbed potential buyers, dealmakers say.

Purchases by governments and state-backed firms made up a record proportion of global mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in February, underscoring how the financial crisis has sidelined private-sector buyers.

Stocks rose at the open on Wednesday after a sell-off the previous session left indexes at 12-year lows, with a jump in the price of oil and other commodities spurring energy and natural resource stocks.

Prudential and Manulife Financial made preliminary offers for American International Group's Asian unit, but Prudential's offer fell short for what AIG wants for the business, sources familiar with the matter said.

On March 3 the Gymboree Corporation announced a change in the timing of its preliminary fourth quarter and fiscal year 2008 earnings conference call.

The Bank of New York Mellon said on Tuesday it will meet with the Russian government to discuss settlement of a $22.5 billion lawsuit Russia has leveled against it.

The annual Geneva Motor Show got underway on Tuesday against a backdrop of a global automobile sector crisis as the financial crisis saps consumer confidence and demand for new cars plunges.

The face of Winston cigarette ads for two decades, Alan Landers, died at 68 after battling throat cancer.

Volkswagen of America Inc., one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker, said its February sales dropped 17.5 percent.

Volkswagen of America Inc., one of the world's largest producers of passenger cars and Europe's largest automaker, said its February sales dropped 17.5 percent.