Industries

P&G Chief Bob McDonald Pins Growth on Closer Shave Than a Mumbai Barber Procter & Gamble Co.’s Bob McDonald is going undercover in Latin America next week.

Retail LBOs are Back as Credit Freeze Abates, Buyout Firms Executives Say Private-equity firms looking to buy retail and consumer companies said they’re now able to finance deals and pay reasonable prices after the credit crisis and global recession triggered a buyout slump.

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Crude Oil Poised for Weekly Gain on Optimism About U.S. Economic Recovery Crude oil traded above $82 a barrel in New York, poised for a weekly gain, on optimism fuel demand will increase amid improved prospects for an economic recovery in the U.S., the world’s biggest energy consumer.

Alberta to Reduce Oil, Gas Production Royalties Next Year to Spur Output Alberta, home to the largest oil reserves outside the Middle East, said it will reduce its take from oil and natural gas production starting next January in a bid to spur exploration.

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JPMorgan, Citigroup Helped Cause Lehman's Collapse, Examiner's Report Says JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup Inc. helped cause the collapse of Lehman Brothers Holding Inc. by demanding more collateral and changing guarantee agreements, a bankruptcy examiner said today in a report.

Inflation Eroding China's Bank Deposits Signals Zhou Must Increase Rates China’s inflation rate outstripped returns on household savings for the first time in 16 months, making it harder for officials to damp rising expectations for price gains.

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Pfizer Says Sutent Tumor Drug Fails Breast Cancer Patients in Two Trials Pfizer Inc. said the cancer drug Sutent failed to halt the progression of advanced breast tumors in two studies, and the company stopped a trial of an experimental medicine to treat lung malignancy.

Congressional Leaders Agree on Language for Obama's Health-Care Overhaul House and Senate leaders have agreed on most elements of legislation needed to push forward President Barack Obama’s proposed overhaul of the U.S. health- care system, top House Democrats said.

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Buffett Gets $100,000 Berkshire Salary for 29th Straight Year, No Bonus Warren Buffett, the billionaire chairman of Berkshire Hathaway Inc. who pays the company for postage and personal phone calls, received a $100,000 salary for a 29th straight year as he arranged a $27 billion acquisition.

Fed Shoulders AIG Japan Mortgage Losses to Ease Sale of Alico to MetLife The Federal Reserve Bank of New York and American International Group Inc. agreed to shoulder as much as $450 million in losses tied to the insurer’s Japan real estate bets as part of the sale of a division to MetLife Inc.

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Hong Kong Property Prices Set for `Another Good Year,' Sun Hung Kai Says Hong Kong’s home market may see “another good year” in 2010 as buyers remain financially sound, according to Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd., the world’s biggest developer by market value.

Australian Home Prices to Keep Rising on Building Shortage, Council Says Australian home prices will keep rising due to a building and land shortage, according to a unit of the Property Council of Australia.

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Calpers May Challenge Apple, BlackRock on Directors Over Election Methods The California Public Employees’ Retirement System, the biggest state-run U.S. public pension, may use its financial clout to force BlackRock Inc., News Corp, and other companies where it has large holdings to change the way they elect directors.

Elliott Said to Consider Sale of Unit If $2 Billion Novell Offer Succeeds Elliott Associates LP, the fund manager that made an unsolicited $2 billion offer for Novell Inc., may consider selling the NetWare networking-software unit if its bid succeeds, a person familiar with the matter said.

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Toyota Sees Recovery in 2010 for Most of U.S. Market Share Lost on Recalls Toyota Motor Corp. set a 2010 goal of regaining most of the U.S. market share lost in the past two months after global recalls of 8 million vehicles damped demand, the No. 2 U.S. sales executive said.

United's Bonds Jump Most of 2009 Airline Issues as Travel Demand Rebounds Bonds issued last year by U.S. carriers including UAL Corp.’s United Airlines and Delta Air Lines Inc. are all trading at or above par for the first time amid improving demand as business travel returns, according to RBS Securities Inc.

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