IBT Staff Reporter

Despite a profit warning from Ford last week, billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian is solidifying his offer to buy more shares of the American car maker.

The following is the text of a message sent from W. Douglas Parker, the chief executive at US Airways, on Friday to airline employees.

Tiffany & Co., the world's second- largest luxury-jewelry retailer, said Friday its first-quarter net income rose a higher-than-expected 19 percent on stronger demand from Europe and Asia which helped make up for weaker sales in the U.S.

Plans to merge UAL Corp.'s United Airlines and US Airways Group Inc. will not happen at this time, UAL's CEO told employees on Friday.

Bristol-Myers will acquire Kosan Biosciences Inc. a cancer therapeutics company for $5.50 per share in cash, the companies announced on Thursday.

The Federal Trade Commission conferred Triarc Companies Inc, franchisor of the Arby's restaurant system, antitrust approval to buy Wendy's Reuters reported.

An AIDS healthcare foundation urged Merck executives to change the company's pricing and access policies as it announced a new campaign in advertisement that criticizes an increase of up to six times the price of its AIDS drug Stocrin in Mexico and other middle-income countries.

Merck & Co. won two cases related to its painkiller Vioxx on Thursday after two appeals courts in Texas and New Jersey, reversed verdicts against the company for damages and death in patients who took the drug.

Comcast Corp. said Thursday that hackers took over and defaced its Web portal for several hours overnight and prevented users from accessing Web mail and account records on the company's site.

BP Plc refused a demand from its partners to oust the chief executive of its TNK-BP Ltd joint venture in Russia, according to a report.

Hutchison Telecommunications International Ltd. Announced Thursday it has sealed a deal with Apple Inc. to offer the popular iPhone in Hong Kong and Macau later this year.

Retailer J.Crew Group Inc reported a better than expected 24 percent rise in first quarter profit but lowered its full-year profit estimates, sending its shares lower.

U.S. stocks rose on Thursday for a third consecutive day after oil dropped, easing inflation concerns, while the government reported that the economy grew last quarter at a faster pace than previously predicted.

Dell Inc, the world's second largest personal computer maker, said its profit and sales grew in its first quarter citing stronger consumer demand and lower operating costs and beat Wall Street's expectations.

After six weeks of voting, Delta Air Lines flight attendants failed to gather enough votes to join the Association of Flight Attendants, or AFA, a national labor union.

Nokia's leading share of the global mobile phone market slipped nearly 4 percent in the first quarter while Motorola's share fell by more than 8 percent as rivals Samsung and LG advanced, according to new research.

Gold futures tumbled as much as $28 an ounce on Thursday, the most in nearly six weeks after the dollar continued to climb, lowering the appeal of the precious metal as an alternative investment while oil prices dropped.

Natural gas spot price movements were mixed this report week (Wednesday–Wednesday, May 21-28), with price decreases generally occurring in markets west of the Mississippi River and price increases

Sears Holding Corp. reported a surprise loss in its second quarter on Thursday, saying it lost $56 million in the first quarter and fell far short of Wall Street forecasts.

Good, Better, and Best-A Comparison of Weekly, Monthly, and Annual Data When buyers are confronted with a major purchase, they often weigh their options by considering whether to buy a good, better, or best product. All

Software giant Microsoft Corp is discussing ideas for partnerships with Internet portal Yahoo but it is not interested in an acquisition, Yahoo's chief executive said.

Costco Wholesale Corp., the largest U.S. warehouse club operator, said Thursday its third-quarter profit climbed 32 percent to beat expectations, as discounts on gasoline and food lured shoppers to its stores.

Bear Stearn's Cos. shareholders on Thursday gave their approval to sell the investment bank to rival JPMorgan Chase & Co. for about $2.2 billion.

BSS Group Plc said on Wednesday that its pre-tax profit for the year ended 31 March 2008 had risen 23.3 per cent to £58.3 million, with revenue up 27.4 per cent to £1,289.0 million.

Burberry Plc said on Wednesday that its profits had risen 14 per cent to £206.2 million in the full year to 31 March 2008. The fashion retailer also said that total revenue had risen 18 per cent to £995 million.

On Wednesday the Italian firm Generali said that it would not be bidding for the insurance arm of Royal Bank of Scotland. The news came just a few hours before the first bid deadline for the asset.

Hong Kong domestic bank Wing Lung fell in trading today as investors question its long term prospects.

Bank of America Corp. plans to raise its stake in China Construction Bank Corp. by exercising part of an option, to boost its stake to 10.75 percent from 8.5 percent, the Chinese bank said on Wednesday.

Tokyo stocks dropped Wednesday, sending the key Nikkei benchmark over 180 points lower, as trading houses and resource-related shares were hit hard by a sharp overnight drop in New York crude oil futures.