26 December 2007 11:00 [Source: ICIS news]
Front Page
Buffett makes $4.5bn deal with Pritzkers
Warren Buffett agreed to pay $4.5bn (€3.1bn) to buy the majority of an industrial conglomerate from Chicago's Pritzker family, choosing to invest in products like plumbing pipes and railroad tank cars as Asian investors pour billions into US financial institutions.
Credit downturn hits the malls
The credit crunch triggered by the downturn in the housing market is creating problems in commercial real estate, driving down prices of office buildings, shopping malls and apartment complexes, and leaving some owners scrambling for cash.
US officials differ over Iran
The Pentagon and State Department, long divided over the conduct of the ?xml:namespace>
Business
Profit outlook darkens for big banks
For major banks, the next few years will be a return to a simpler and possibly less-profitable time.
Toyota's expected sales could put it ahead of GM
Toyota Motor said it expects global sales of 9.36m vehicles for 2007, up 6% from the year before, a level that could put it ahead of rival General Motors Corp. as the world's largest auto seller on an annual basis.
Retail rush falls short, now come more sales
Spurred by heavy discounting, US shoppers spent furiously in the days just before Christmas. But holiday retail sales appeared to still fall short of industry expectations, setting the stage for bigger markdowns in the increasingly important post-Christmas.
THE NEW YORK TIMES
Front Page
The Ink Fades on a profession as
GP Sawant never charged the prostitutes for his letter-writing services.
Turkish airstrikes on Kurdish rebels in northern
Business
Rapidly, Buffett secures a deal for $4.5bn (€3.1bn)
Warren Buffett may be a choosy shopper, but when he sees a firm he likes, he moves fast.
Hospitals chase a nuclear tool to fight cancer
There is a new nuclear arms race under way — in hospitals.
Front Page
Tide is shifting on US exports
Challenged by a troubled US economy and the steeply falling dollar, a growing number of US manufacturers are making up for slowing domestic sales by expanding them overseas, often with sophisticated products.
Shiite contest sharpens in Iraq
Posted at the door of Shiite cleric Moqtada alSadr's office recently, a flier denounced the arrests of his followers.
Business
A surge in spending over the weekend may not have been enough to rescue Target, Sears Holdings and Macy's from the slowest holiday spending season in five years.
Berkshire Hathaway Inc <BRKa.N>, the conglomerate headed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, said on Tuesday it planned to buy 60% of manufacturing and services group Marmon Holdings Inc. for $4.5bn.
GLOBE AND MAIL, CanadaFront Page
MacKay pushes need to stay course
Defence Minister Peter MacKay served up turkey and tourtière to Canadian troops in
Tories blast CBC in party fundraising letter
The Conservative Party of Canada has slammed the country's public broadcaster in a fundraising letter to party members.
Business
Banks to decide on ABCP deal in new year
The Crawford Committee managed to secure its rescue effort to restructure $33bn (€22.7bn) in asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) in time for exhausted negotiators to take a holiday break, but some of the banks have still not signed on.
US retail sales climb 3.6%
BUENOS AIRES HERALDFront Page
Moyano challenger drops out
The secretary general of the UOCRA construction workers’ union, Gerardo Martínez, yesterday ruled out “for good” presenting his candidacy for the leadership of the CGT umbrella union, a bid which was the subject of recent debate because he was seen as a possible leader of union opposition to current CGT boss Hugo Moy