Month: September 2011

Brazilian state-controlled Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. or Petrobras ( PBR ) announced the start-up of its offshore Lula-Mexilhao Gas Pipeline in the Santos Basin. […]

Cloud computing and customer relationship software developer Salesforce.com ( CRM ) recently announced that it has acquired an instant customer-service help desk, Assistly, to enhance its cloud offerings. The deal is valued at approximately $50.0 million. Assistly helps small and medium enterprises and emerging businesses to develop and provide instant customer service solutions, with zero-touch operation.This new cloud-based solution will enable enterprises to manage service cases and engage with customers in real time over a range of channels – including Facebook, Twitter, Web chats, e-mail and phone – all from one, easy-to-use interface […]

Acklands-Grainger Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of W.W. Grainger, Inc. […]

Bank of America Corp. ( BAC ) has sacked 13 investment bankers in its industrials group, which provides advisory and financing services through two units, Bloomberg reported on Tuesday following communication with two people familiar with the action. The retrenched bankers include managing directors David Iwan and Egan Antill […]

A.M. Best Co. has reiterated the issuer credit rating (ICR) of “bbb” of XL Group plc ( XL ) and its wholly owned subsidiary, XL Group Ltd […]

We recently upgraded Brazil-based Companhia Siderurgica Nacional ( SID ), or CSN to a Neutral recommendation from an Underperform rating assigned earlier. Companhia Siderurgica primarily engages in the production of hot- and cold-rolled flat steel, galvanized sheets, and tin plates for the packaging, automotive, and construction industries. […]

We reiterate our long-term Neutral rating on Noble Corporation ( NE ), a leading offshore drilling contractor and provider of diversified services for the oil and gas industry. It also provides labor contract drilling, engineering and consulting, and project management services through a fleet of 76 mobile offshore drilling units. […]

On Wednesday, Moody’s Investors Service, a credit rating arm of Moody’s Corp. ( MCO ) downgraded its credit ratings on Bank of America Corporation ( BAC ), Citigroup Inc. ( C ) and Wells Fargo & Company ( WFC ) […]

Accenture plc ( ACN ) recently announced that it will provide information technology (IT) consulting and outsourcing services to the renowned travel operator Thomas Cook Group plc for 10 years. Per the deal terms, Accenture will offer its technology and services to maintain and support Thomas Cook’s entire technology infrastructure throughout Europe. […]

The China's Patent Office issued 40 patents to Apple Inc. ( AAPL ) that would enable it to better protect its intellectual property (IP) in the country. The patents cover 37 products, inclusive of the iPhone, iPod and MacBook Air. […]

Vivus Inc. ( VVUS ) recently announced that it has reached an agreement with the Endocrine and Metabolic Division of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) which allows for an early resubmission of the new drug application (NDA) for its obesity candidate, Qnexa. On the basis of this agreement, Vivus intends to resubmit the NDA by the end of October 2011, prior to the completion of the FORTRESS study. […]

U.S. energy behemoth, Chevron Corp. ( CVX ) plans to spend approximately $3 billion annually in Indonesia’s oil and gas sector over the next three years […]

The largest U.S. airline United Continental Holdings Inc. ( UAL ) expects unit revenue (passenger revenue per seat mile) to grow 9.5–10.5% in the third quarter despite domestic capacity cuts. […]