Latest Business Wires

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — There could be less jingle in the Salvation's Army's hallmark red kettles this season. The charity is testing kettles that take debit and credit cards.

Germany on Wednesday extended until the end of 2010 a government program that allows companies to put workers on shorter work hours in an effort to avoid layoffs — an arrangement credited with keeping down unemployment over recent months.

Indonesia's vice president has defended a $715 million bank bailout as having been vital to protecting the financial system amid the global economic crisis.

Poland's unemployment rate edged up to 11.1 percent in October from 10.9 percent the previous month, official data showed Wednesday, suggesting the labor market is still weak despite a stabilization in economic activity.

Porsche said Wednesday that its revenue declined by 12 percent in the past financial year as the economic crisis hit the car market, but said it expects improving sales in the current year.

Vietnam announced a 5 percent devaluation of its tightly controlled currency Wednesday, succumbing to pressure for a weaker dong as foreign reserves dwindle.

ABN Amro Bank NV — the state-owned Dutch banking operations left over from the parent company's bailout — on Wednesday reported a euro32 million ($48 million) loss for the third quarter due to higher provisions for bad loans.

France Telecom said Wednesday it will pay euro1.5 billion to Danish telecoms group TDC as part of a deal to merge their respective operations in Switzerland.

The Chinese automaker that had joined with Koenigsegg Automotive AB in bidding to buy Saab said Wednesday it regrets the Swedish luxury sports car maker's decision to drop the deal and will reconsider its own stance.

Hundreds of thousands of Turkish civil servants across the country are walking off the job to demand the right to strike and higher wages.

Savor that holiday sweet potato pie and those marshmallow yams while you can.

The third anniversary of the signing of the U.S.-Colombia free trade pact came and went this month with the Obama administration still negotiating the fine print, Congress showing little interest and business groups frustrated by the lack of action on trade deals.

Wine and spirits group Remy Cointreau reported Wednesday an 18.4 percent drop in net profit over the April to September period after a loss in its Champagne business.

An Indian tribe wants to build a grand, $1.5 billion, Las Vegas-style casino resort on a swath of land overlooking San Francisco Bay — a spot more than 100 miles from its tribal lands.

Low oxygen levels likely caused the death of a coal miner in a west Alabama mine where several others were overcome during a rescue attempt, federal mine safety officials said Tuesday.

The federal Mine Safety and Health Administration is blaming low oxygen for the death of a coal miner at a west Alabama mine.

The World Bank says it has approved a $1.5 billion loan to support economic stimulus and reform programs in Mexico, and a $491 million loan for Mexico's efforts against swine flu.

Federal agents searched the Indiana and Ohio offices of two companies owned by an Indianapolis businessman Tuesday, serving warrants a month after a newspaper questioned whether the Ohio firm is capable of repaying some $168 million owed to investors.

Blue Coat Systems Inc. on Tuesday reported a fiscal second-quarter profit, reversing a year-ago loss, as sales of its security hardware and software products rose slightly and costs declined.

Halliburton Co., which provides services for the energy industry, said Tuesday that reduced activity by major Mexican customer Petroleos Mexicanos — Pemex — will drag down fourth-quarter profit by 2 cents per share.