ALIBABA'S IPO PRICED AT $68 A SHARE -- UPDATE 2

Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.'s shares priced Thursday at $68 apiece, putting the Chinese company on track for an initial public offering that will raise at least $21.8 billion. (published 2340 GMT Thursday)

 
 
GOOGLE TO ENCRYPT PHONE DATA IN ANDROID

Google confirmed the next version of its Android operating system will encrypt user data by default, making it difficult for law enforcement or phone thieves to read data on a phone without user cooperation. The announcement parallels a move made a day earlier by rival Apple. (published 2328 GMT Thursday)

 
 
SAP TO ACQUIRE CONCUR TECHNOLOGIES -- 2ND UPDATE

German software giant SAP SE agreed to buy Concur Technologies Inc., which makes software to help employees manage their expense accounts, in a deal valued at $8.3 billion. (published 2342 GMT Thursday)

 
 
TWITTER REDESIGNS PROFILES FOR IPHONE APP

Twitter on Thursday gave its user profiles a facelift for the iPhone, packing them with more information about users and making it easier to discover what they've posted. (published 2310 GMT Thursday)

 
 
FINDER SEEKS TO SELL STAKE IN BIG AUSTRALIA OIL DISCOVERY - SOURCE

Closely held Finder Exploration Pty. Ltd. moved to capitalize on the buzz around what could by one of Australia's biggest oil discoveries in decades by putting its stake in the asset up for sale. (published 0023 GMT)

 
 
SINGAPORE EXCHANGE TO OFFER NEW ASIAN FOREIGN-EXCHANGE FUTURES CONTRACTS

Singapore Exchange Ltd., Southeast Asia's biggest bourse better known as SGX, said Friday it was adding four new Asian foreign-exchange futures contracts to its platform. (published 0059 GMT)

 
 
NEWEST IPHONES HIT THE MARKET DOWN UNDER

Apple Inc. began sales of its newest iPhones Friday with consumers in Australia becoming the first globally to get their hands on them. (published 2307 GMT Thursday)

 
 
TEXAS INSTRUMENTS BOOSTS DIVIDEND 13%

Texas Instruments Inc. said Thursday it will boost its quarterly dividend by 13% after posting improved margins and earnings growth in recent quarters. (published 2123 GMT Thursday)

 
 
MCDONALD'S BOOSTS QUARTERLY DIVIDEND BY 5%

McDonald's Corp. increased its quarterly dividend by 5%, a move the company said reflects "the continued strength and sustainability of our cash flow." (published 2054 GMT Thursday)

 
 
HOME DEPOT RAISES FISCAL YEAR OUTLOOK >HD

Home Depot Inc. raised its fiscal year earnings guidance based on its results so far in the current quarter and its current estimate of expenses related to the recent data breach. (published 2101 GMT Thursday)

 
 
HYATT TO SELL 38 SELECT-SERVICE HOTELS

Hyatt Hotels Corp. said Thursday it has agreed to sell 38 of its select-service Hyatt Place and Hyatt House hotels for $590 million. (published 2218 GMT Thursday)

 
 
GENERAL MILLS TO CLOSE 2 PLANTS TO CUT COSTS

General Mills Inc. said it will close a cereal plant and a yogurt factory, eliminating up to nearly 600 jobs, as its first steps in a cost-cutting plan aimed at offsetting sluggish U.S. demand for cereal, cake mix and other packaged foods. (published 2126 GMT Thursday)

 
 
LARRY ELLISON TO STEP ASIDE AS ORACLE CEO -- 3RD UPDATE

Larry Ellison, a college dropout who built Oracle Corp. into one of America's largest and most prominent technology companies, is stepping down as chief executive in a momentous Silicon Valley handover. (published 0033 GMT)

 
 
CLOROX NAMES BENNO DORER CEO -- 2ND UPDATE

Clorox Co. Chief Executive Donald R. Knauss is stepping down, passing the reins to a chief operating officer who beat out another top executive for the role. (published 2305 GMT Thursday)