Young Negotiators

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japan’s Nikkei average rose 0.3 percent on Wednesday, led higher by defensive stocks such as drugmakers including Astellas Pharma after similar shares pushed U.S. stocks higher.

SANTA CLARA, California (Reuters) - Intel Corp’s orders and billing patterns so far in the second quarter have been slightly better than expected, the chief executive of the world’s largest chip maker said on Tuesday.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co said on Tuesday that it raised $1.4 billion through a 300 million share offer for $4.75 per share, a move that its chief executive said was an important step toward getting profitable again.

DETROIT (Reuters) - General Motors Corp shares hit there lowest level since the Great Depression on Tuesday and Nissan Motor Co posted a loss and expected more amid the deep global auto downturn.

SINGAPORE (Reuters) - The United States is at risk of losing its triple-A credit rating unless it starts putting its finances in order, a former head of the agency in charge of fiscal accountability said in the Financial Times on Wednesday.

HONG KONG/NEW YORK (Reuters) - Several large U.S. banks undertook big capital-raising efforts on Tuesday, hoping to satisfy regulators who want bigger cushions against a deep recession, or proof that they have enough of a buffer.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A second person pleaded guilty in a kickback scandal involving New York state’s $122 billion pension fund, Attorney General Andrew Cuomo said on Tuesday.

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The world’s largest chip equipment maker, Applied Materials Inc , posted a quarterly loss as cost cuts failed to fully offset a steep drop in revenue, and its shares fell 2.5 percent.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp is talking with lawmakers about speedy legislation giving it power to wind down troubled bank holding companies, but not a broader range of financial firms.

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc said on Tuesday it has received the required approval from its lenders for its proposed merger with Live Nation Inc, the world’s largest concert promoter.