TOTAL NAMES POUYANNÉ CEO
Total's board named refining and chemicals head Patrick Pouyanné
as its new CEO, installing a company veteran. Move follows the
death of Chairman and CEO Christophe de Margerie in a Moscow plane
crash Monday.
J&J TO TEST NEW EBOLA VACCINE ON HUMANS
Johnson & Johnson said it will begin testing an Ebola-virus
vaccine on humans in January and could have 250,000 doses available
in May.
ABB NET PROFIT SLUMPS
ABB, the world's largest maker of power grids, said
third-quarter profit fell by 12% as a slowdown in its big
transmission power business continued to bite.
HEINEKEN PROFIT FALLS
Heineken said third quarter profit fell 4.8%, with lower sales
in Europe offset by growth in emerging markets.
PEUGEOT REVENUE RISES
French car maker Peugeot Citroen said revenue rose in the third
quarter, lifted by strong growth in Europe and China.
LUFTHANSA CLOSE TO SELLING IT UNIT TO IBM
Deutsche Lufthansa is close to selling its IT Infrastructure
division to IBM and outsourcing its IT services to the technology
company as part of a broader restructuring of its systems unit.
U.K. REGULATOR SAYS HSBC BREACHED SME LOAN RULES
HSBC was criticized by the U.K.'s antitrust regulator for
breaching its rules by forcing small and medium-size businesses to
open business accounts to get a loan.
EMIRATES NBD'S PROFIT DOUBLES
Emirates NBD, Dubai's biggest bank by assets, Wednesday said
third-quarter net profit doubled year-over-year as a rapid recovery
in the local market led to a rise in operating income and a fall in
impairments.
TAKATA SHARES PLUNGE ON U.S. AIR BAG WARNING
Several big auto makers said it was unclear when suspect air bag
parts tied to at least two deaths in the U.S. would be
replaced--due either to a lack of parts or from owners failing to
have repairs made.
SONY MAY CUT SMARTPHONE SALES TARGET AGAIN
Sony is considering slashing its smartphone sales target again,
people familiar with the matter said Wednesday, as the business
struggles to perform as expected in the face of fierce competition
especially in emerging markets.
BHP BILLITON LOGS HIGHER 1ST QUARTER IRON-ORE OUTPUT
BHP Billiton said it boosted iron-ore production in its fiscal
first quarter, as the world's No. 1 mining company drove its
operations harder in the face of falling commodity prices.
NORSK HYDRO NET PROFIT UP ON HIGHER PRICES
Norwegian aluminum producer Norsk Hydro more than doubled its
third-quarter net profit amid higher prices, but missed analysts'
expectations.
YARA TO EXPAND NORWAY CAPACITY
Norwegian fertilizer producer Yara is set to invest $342.8
million to boost production capacity at a plant in Norway as it
reported a rise in net profit of 9% on the year.
HANDELSBANKEN 3RD QUARTER NET PROFIT RISES
Svenska Handelsbanken Wednesday posted an 8% rise in third
quarter net profit, boosted by gains in both net interest and net
fee and commission income.
BGC TO LAUNCH TENDER OFFER FOR RIVAL
BGC Partners plans to make a hostile bid to buy rival GFI Group
for $675 million, according to people familiar with the matter,
after an effort to strike a friendly deal between the interdealer
brokers foundered.