Industrials

Swiss engineering group ABB has agreed to buy electrical components maker Thomas & Betts for $3.9 billion to grow its portfolio of low-voltage products and further expand its geographic scope.

Eastman Chemical unveiled a deal on Friday to acquire specialty chemical maker Solutia for $3.38 billion.

Procter & Gamble posted a fiscal second-quarter core profit of $1.10 a share that edged just ahead of Wall Street expectations. 

Honeywell International swung to fourth-quarter loss on pension-related charges. 

Carried by stronger profits at its Pratt & Whitney aircraft division, United Technologies posted an 11% jump in fourth-quarter profits on Wednesday.

Eastman Kodak, a pioneer in the photography and technical realms, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.  Read: Full Text of Kodak's Bankruptcy Filing

The coffee giant, which signed a pact with Tata Coffee in early 2011 to buy coffee from India and explore opening retail stores in the country, is said to be finalizing its retail partnership and hopes to announce the deal by the end of January.

Kraft Foods said splitting into two companies will result in the loss of about 1,600 jobs in North America this year.

McDonald's has signed on to sponsor the Olympics for another eight years, meaning athletes and fans will be offered its burgers and fries in the official restaurants at Olympic Games venues until 2020.

After just having emerged from bankruptcy last September, Hostess Brands is reportedly gearing up to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy again.

Alcoa kicked off the fourth-quarter earnings period with a per-share loss that matched Wall Street expectations, though revenue handily topped views.

Alcoa said it will cut its global smelting capacity by 12% due to a steep drop in aluminum prices.

Monsanto reported first-quarter sales that widely surpassed Wall Street expectations as demand for corn and cotton seeds continued to grow in the U.S. and Latin America. 

In an effort to boost its bottom line, PepsiCo management is reportedly contemplating laying off about 4,000 workers and putting a stop to its 401(k) match.

China has emerged as a key battleground for many American companies that are looking to take a stake in the country's burgeoning consumer culture.

China has emerged as a key battleground for many American companies that are looking to take a stake in the country's burgeoning consumer culture.

The maker of Post-its and Scotch tape, 3M said the deal will broaden its global presence in office, education and consumer products.

3M unveiled a fourth-quarter profit of $1.35 per share on $7.1 billion in sales, versus estimates of $1.31 on $7.09 billion.

The hamburger giant posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit as sales at established restaurants in the U.S. and Europe rose more than 7%.

Held back by weak electronics demand, chemicals giant DuPont disclosed a 0.8% slip in fourth-quarter profits and weaker-than-expected revenue.