Heating Bills This Winter to Ease Sharply Utilities: Lower natural gas prices are reducing costs for Californians, but reliance on imports could be a problem in the long run, studies say.
Creditors Ready Plan for SCE Solvency Even as Gov. Gray Davis prepares for one last stab at a rescue plan for Southern California Edison next week, a faction of influential creditors has started to map out its own reorganization plan for the insolvent utility.
RESPONSE TO TERROR Amtrak's Post-Attack Ridership Surge Is Ebbing The surge of passengers who flocked to Amtrak trains in the days after the terrorist attacks has begun to subside, dimming hopes that the intercity rail service could attract lots of new passengers amid the airline crisis.
Exodus Files Chapter 11, to Close 10 Data Centers Exodus Communications Inc., which never made a profit since it went public in March 1998, filed for bankruptcy protection after losing customers in the collapsing Internet economy.
CALIFORNIA Universal in Copyright Violation Internet: Judge rules music group was in the wrong when it put songs in online jukebox without paying royalties.
CALIFORNIA New CEO Appointed by L.A. Area Chamber Hoping to reverse a membership slide, the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce announced Wednesday that Russell J. "Rusty" Hammer will take over as its president and chief executive beginning Nov. 5.
CALIFORNIA Sen. Boxer Seeks to Revive Federal Tourism Agency Sen. Barbara Boxer called Wednesday for re-establishment of a defunct federal agency to help the nation's tourism industry, which has been crippled by the effects of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
Reliant Resources Nears Deal to Buy Orion Reliant Resources Inc. is near an agreement to buy Orion Power Holdings Inc. for $2.9 billion in cash plus the assumption of debt, people familiar with the companies said.
Activists Urge Tough Limits for Microsoft A coalition of consumer groups sent a letter to state and federal prosecutors Wednesday asking them to be tough with Microsoft Corp. in the four-year antitrust case, calling for extensive business restrictions and allowing individuals to sue the company.
RESPONSE TO TERROR Usual Crowd at Seybold Is Missing Trade show: Drop in attendance reflects a weakened economy and travel reductions.
CALIFORNIA Guitar Center Earnings to Fall Below Forecasts Musical instrument retailer Guitar Center Inc. said Wednesday that its third-quarter earnings will be well below Wall Street forecasts as the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks take a toll on sales.
CALIFORNIA Hewlett Foundation Gives Grant to PBS' 'NewsHour' The Public Broadcasting Service's nightly newscast, "The NewsHour With Jim Lehrer" got some breathing room in the form of a $1.6-million grant from the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation in Menlo Park.
MARKETS / YOUR MONEY Bearishness Rises Among Newsletters The bear ranks continue to grow, at least among investment newsletter writers surveyed by Investors Intelligence.
IN BRIEF / ENERGY FERC Sets Meetings on Power Infrastructure Federal energy regulators will examine whether the country's electricity generating plants and transmission lines will be able to deliver enough power to meet future demand.
IN BRIEF / TOBACCO Firms Win Ruling to Replace Nine Jurors Nine jurors must be replaced before a trial can begin in a class-action lawsuit that seeks to require tobacco companies to pay for medical tests for Louisiana smokers, the Louisiana Supreme Court ruled.
IN BRIEF / MANUFACTURING GM to Trim U.S. Sales Forecast for Quarter General Motors Corp. plans to reduce its fourth-quarter industry sales forecast because this month's terrorist attacks deepened a slowdown in demand for cars and trucks.
IN BRIEF / WALL STREET Goldman, Bear Stearns Post Profit Declines Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Bear Stearns Cos. posted steep quarterly profit declines as investment banking fees and trading revenues fell, and said the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks will dampen results in the near term.
IN BRIEF / WALL STREET Franklin Resources Won't Meet Estimates Franklin Resources Inc., the fifth-biggest U.S. mutual fund group, said fiscal fourth-quarter earnings won't meet a Thomson Financial/First Call consensus estimate of 45 cents a share.
IN BRIEF / FOOD P&G, Coca-Cola Halt Snacks, Juice Venture Procter & Gamble Co. and Coca-Cola Co. said they scuttled plans to form a joint venture to sell and develop snacks and juice drinks.
IN BRIEF / TECHNOLOGY MusicNet Ready to Supply Music, Software MusicNet, an Internet music distributor backed by three of the major record labels, is ready to start supplying music and software to online retailers, the company is expected to announce today.
IN BRIEF / MANUFACTURING Textron to Close 50 Plants, Cut 2,500 Jobs Plane and helicopter maker Textron Inc. said the Sept. 11 attacks and the weak economy will hurt earnings for the rest of the year and it will further curtail production, close 50 more plants and cut 2,500 more jobs.
