COMPANIES

Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian revealed on Monday that his investment company has accumulated a 4.7 percent stake in Ford Motor Co. shares and will seek to bring its total to 5.6 percent through an offer to buy stock.

U.S. newspaper circulation fell sharply in the six months leading through March, with the exception of the two largest national dailies, USA Today and The Wall Street Journal, as more readers turn to online sites to read the latest news.

Brazil's largest private-sector bank, Banco Bradesco, reported a 23.3 percent surge in net profit in the first quarter from the same period last year benefiting from the credit boom in Brazil.

Shares of Continental Airlines and UAL Corp. fell on Monday after the airlines denied rumors that they were in talks of a possible merger.

Mars Inc agreed to buy Chicago-based Wm Wrigley Jr. Company on Monday for $23 billion in cash, bringing together Mars, the maker of M&M's chocolate and Snickers bars together with Wrigley's, which sells Spearmint and Juicy Fruit gum.

Jerome Kerviel, the former trader accused of making risky bets that led to billions of euros in losses at Societe Generale, has started a new job in information technology.

Women beware: your shiny lip gloss and lip balm may boost your risk of getting skin cancer.

Prosecutors at the U.S. Justice Department are investigating Wachovia Corp, the fourth largest U.S. bank, about links to alleged drug laundering activities involving Latin American countries.

Whole Foods Market Inc says regulators will not recommend further action be taken regarding online message board postings by the company's chief executive.

The owner of the New York Daily News, Mortimer Zuckerman, has bid $580 million to buy Tribune Company's Newsday newspaper after News Corp. had already made an offer for the same amount, according to a report.

A New York judge dismissed charges on Friday against Clear Channel Communications made by six banks in a case involving the sale of the radio station owner to a private equity group.

Hedge funds are losing money but that doesn't mean the $1.8 trillion industry is losing clients -- yet. Pension funds and endowments, whose big bets on hedge funds helped double industry assets in the last five years, are sticking with loosely regulated hedge funds for now, even as returns sag.

The head of Goldman Sachs Group Inc.'s mortgage department, Dan Sparks, unexpectedly quit the firm on Friday, according to media reports.

Black & Decker said Thursday it will cut 700 jobs, or about 3 percent of its workforce, and close a plant in Atlanta as part of a new restructuring plan.

Charles Schwab Corp. said Friday its Chairman and Chief Executive netted $48 million from 10-year-old stock options that were about to expire.

Shares of Progenics Pharmaceuticals Inc. closed Friday at $13.40 per share rising 25.94 percent, and climbed to $13.75 on after trading as its drug Relistor was approved in the U.S. by the Food and Drug Administration.

Patients that went through Lasik surgery informed the U.S. regulators at a meeting of their current side effects such as blurred vision, dry eyes, glare and double-vision, and even suffering of depression leading to suicides.

Nigeria is expected to lose around 50 percent of its current oil production as strike by workers and attacks by rebels have forced its two biggest oil firms, Exxon Mobil and Royal Dutch Shell, to close its oil production, pushing oil prices near all-time high on Friday.

Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co reported stronger-than-expected quarterly profit on Friday with price hikes offsetting the rising cost of raw materials and favorable exchange rates.

State-run Central Bank of India has posted a decline in net profit for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008 of 14.7 percent, at Rs.127.20 crore ($31.8 million) as against Rs.149.13 crore ($37.28 million) in the corresponding quarter a year earlier.

India's second largest private sector bank, HDFC Bank has posted a 37 percent rise in net profit for the fiscal quarter ended March 31, 2008, at Rs.471.10 crore ($117.77 million) as against Rs.343.57 crore ($85.89 million) for the corresponding period a year earlier.

Maruti Suzuki Ltd, market leader of India's automotive industry, has posted a decline of 34 percent in net profits for the quarter ended March 31, 2008, on account of a large depreciation charge which outweighed higher sales.

Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group's (ADAG) flagship company and India's second largest mobile services provider, Reliance Communications said it has acquired eWave World, a UK-based WiMax operator for an undisclosed sum.

Pharmaceutical giant AstraZeneca Plc has reported a rise in fourth quarter sales of 10 per cent to $7,677 million. The company's pre-tax profit however was down 5.0 per cent to $2,143 million.

Domino's Pizza today held its AGM and announced a rise in system sales of 21.3 per cent to £105.3 million in the 16 weeks to 20 April 2008. The company also said that its like for like sales in the period jumped 13 per cent.

Punch Taverns has released its interim results for the 28 weeks to 1 March 2008. The company which owns over 8,400 pubs in the UK said that its pre-tax profits increased 1.0 per cent to £133 million compared to the same period last year.

Air China Limited, the world's largest carrier by market value, earned a net profit in the first quarter of 1.04 billion Yuan (148.6 million US dollars), or 0.09 Yuan per share, which is 147 percent higher than the same period of last year.

Wright Medical Group Inc. reported on Thursday its revenue in the first quarter was of $115.9 million which compared to $94.3 the same period last year, represents an augment of 23 percent.

Universal Health Services Inc. reported on Thursday its net profit for the first quarter rose to $61.7 million or $1.20 per share compared to $49.5 million or 92 cents per share in the same period the previous year, aligning with forecasts.