America Online Inc (AOL)
BOGEN COMMUNICATIONS INTL said AMERICA ONLINE is beta testing the voicemail retrieval capability
of Bogen's its unified messaging platform, Thor, in Germany. (Dow Jones)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT is considering creating a tracking stock that would follow the performance of its Internet
businesses, as well as any new cable operations, the Wall Street Journal reported. The new stock would
also serve to separate the volatile media business from Microsoft's highly profitable software
businesses. People close to Microsoft's thinking stressed that the tracking-stock idea is only one of
several possibilities that may emerge from the round-robin discussions between all the players in the
landmark takeover battle for MEDIAONE GROUP between COMCAST and AT&T. (Reuters 05:29 AM ET
05/04/99) For the full text story, see full story
Pfizer Inc (PFE)
The first controlled study of Viagra in women shows the drug, a blockbuster seller for men, also helps
many women, doctors reported. Although the study was small, researcher Dr. Jennifer Berman of the
University of Boston says it shows that the same physical mechanisms that can make men impotent can
cause sexual problems in women, as well. Viagra, made by PFIZER INC and known generically as
sildenafil, works by increasing the effects of nitric oxide, a common body chemical, which in turn gets
more blood flowing into the genitals. (Reuters 08:05 AM ET 05/04/99) For the full text story, see full
story
Dow Jones 30 Industrials (DJIA)
MARKET NEWS: U.S. stocks slid on Tuesday, as rising interest rates rattled investors into cashing in some
profits following Monday's sprint past a new milestone. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ended off
128.58 points, or 1.17%, at 10,886.11, giving back more than half of its sharp gains from the day before.
On Monday, the blue-chip stock gauge had shot past the 11,000 mark just 24 trading days after it had
cracked the historic 10,000 level. The Nasdaq Composite Index shed 50.45 points, or 1.99%, to 2485.13.
And the S&P 500 Index, a broader market gauge, dropped 22.63 points to 1332. The broad sell-off was
spurred by a big drop in the Treasury market that sent bond yields soaring to its highest levels in some
10 months. The benchmark 30-year bond ended the day off 25/32 to yield 5.72%. See full story
================= 4/30
merica Online Inc (AOL)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
Sun Microsystems Inc (SUNW)
A SUN MICROSYSTEMS executive was asked about the company's future product plans with AOL in a
deposition late Friday in the MICROSOFT antitrust trial. Michael Popov, VP and COO of staff operations at
Sun, had been subpoenaed by Microsoft to detail Sun's strategic agreement with AOL. Microsoft is
seeking to prove that the AOL/Netscape/Sun deal represents a big competitive threat. If it succeeds, it
would cripple the government's anti-trust case. When AOL announced a deal to buy Netscape in
November for $4.2 billion, it also announced an alliance with Sun. AOL's deal with Sun includes plans a
new Internet browser, systems and software for electronic commerce and other products. (Reuters
11:04 PM ET 04/30/99) Full story, see full story
America Online Inc (AOL)
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
MICROSOFT named the three witnesses the company will call to testify in the rebuttal phase of the
government's antitrust trial, which is expected to resume in the next few weeks. Microsoft plans to call
David Colburn, senior VP for business affairs of AOL; Gordon Eubanks, president and CEO of Oblix Inc.;
and Professor Richard Schmalensee, dean of the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts
Institute of Technology. ''Our rebuttal witnesses will show that the $10 billion merger of AOL and
Netscape completely undercuts the government's case. (PRNewswire)
Intel Corp (INTC)
INTEL CORP and MOTOROLA INC said late Friday they agreed to settle a lawsuit over a number of former
Motorola employees that rival Intel had hired to work as computer chip designers. Motorola filed the
trade secrets lawsuit against Intel in a Texas court in March. Neither company would disclose the terms
of the settlement, but said they were satisfied at their agreement. (Reuters 08:59 PM ET 04/30/99) For
the full text story, see full story
Intel Corp (INTC)
INTEL CORP unveiled its second-generation StrongArm technology for hand-held computers, Internet
access devices and Internet backbone products. In a press release, Intel said the new processors offer
speeds of 150 megahertz to 600 MHz and use 40 to 450 milliwatts. Intel plans to release samples of
processors based on StrongArm technology during the first half of 2000. (Dow Jones)
Merck & Co (MRK)
MERCK & CO filied with the SEC a shelf registration to sell up to $1 bln in debt securities. When
combined with a previous registration, the company, based in Whitehouse Station, N.J., will have a total
offering of $1.67 bln in debt available for sale. Net proceeds will be used for general corporate
purposes, including the reduction of short-term debt, the global research-driven pharmaceutical
company said in the filing. (Reuters 12:36 PM ET 05/03/99)
Merck & Co (MRK)
With the world's largest drug company approaching perilous seas, MERCK & CO's low-key boss
Raymond Gilmartin hopes once again to overcome fearful skeptics by keeping his ship on course with
surging sales. Gilmartin is girding for the potential loss of billions of dollars in annual revenues in 2000
and 2001, when U.S. patents expire on five key Merck drugs and competing generic versions enter the
market. But he vows that growing sales of other, newer Merck drugs, including a painkiller named
Vioxx, will offset the loss. (Reuters 02:52 PM ET 05/03/99) For the full text story, see full story
Microsoft Corp (MSFT)
IBM CORP will become the first computer maker to testify for the government in the antitrust case
against MICROSOFT CORP, a source close to the case said on Monday. The source confirmed reports that
IBM will give details on how Microsoft allegedly used its power as the supplier of the Windows
operating system to push computer makers around. IBM will testify when the trial, currently in recess,
enters its rebuttal stage. (Reuters 10:27 AM ET 05/03/99) For the full text story, see full story
Sun Microsystems Inc (SUNW)
Finnish data security software maker SSH Communications Security Oy said it had signed a deal
licensing its technology to SUN MICROSYSTEMS INC worldwide. "Sun will start using SSH's technology
that improves data security on the Internet," SSH said in a statement. Under the deal, Sun would
integrate SSH's IKE (Internet Key Exchange) software in its Solaris operating system, SSH said. SSH gave
no value for the deal, but said it was to its knowledge the biggest ever Finnish software deal in terms of
the prospective number of users. (Reuters 07:43 AM ET 05/03/99) For the full text story, see full story
Dow Jones 30 Industrials (DJIA)
MARKET NEWS: The Dow Jones Industrial Average shot past a new milestone Monday, sprinting through
the 11,000 mark after reassuring news about the U.S. economy. Barely a month after Wall Street
celebrated the bull market's stamina as the Dow broke through the 10,000 mark, the world's most
closely-watched stock measure surged 225.65 points, or 2.09%, to end at 11,014.69. The S&P 500 Index,
a broader blue-chip gauge, gained 19.45 points to 1354.63. Technology stocks, though, fell, as
investors cashed out of the high-flying sector and bought more economically sensitive shares. The
Nasdaq Composite Index, heavy with technology companies, slipped 7.27 points to 2535.58. Internet
stocks led the drop in the technology group. The benchmark 30-year bond was up 2/32 to yield 5.66%.
See full story |
