Business News

CHICAGO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Grains closed mostly higher on the Chicago Board of Trade Tuesday as traders said selling and end-of-the-year news were both light.

SEATTLE, Dec. 31 (UPI) -- The seemingly simple business of importing honey has become so rife with international intrigue that one U.S. broker said he was leaving the business.

NEW YORK, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- U.S. markets rose Tuesday after the Treasury said it would supply $6 billion for struggling automotive financial firm GMAC.

LONDON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Trustees of Britain's HBOS bank's pension fund said they are considering a legal challenge to the bank's merger with Lloyds TSB to protect their pension plan.

MOSCOW, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Russian and U.S. officials said a new poultry and pork trade agreement cuts the quota for U.S. poultry exported to Russia and raises some import duties.

KIEV, Ukraine, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A billing dispute between Russia's natural gas giant Gazprom and the Ukraine government could turn into a winter delivery problem for Europe, the company said.

BRATISLAVA, Slovakia, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The first Central European state to adopt the euro, Slovakia, is poised to officially join the Eurozone Thursday, officials said.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- The home prices index for 20 U.S. metropolitan regions dropped for the 27th consecutive month in October, a closely watched housing index said.

WASHINGTON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- GMAC said the U.S. Treasury's purchase of $5 billion of its preferred stock would allow it to immediately expand its loan offerings to consumers.

PARIS, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A decline in luxury goods markets has pressured several European companies to scale back on workforce or expansion plans, the companies said.

Stocks head up Tuesday morning ... Survey: Job picture steady in near-term ... Retail season weakest in 38 years ... Treasury invests $6 billion in GMAC ... News from United Press International.

TORONTO, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- A survey of Canadian hiring managers indicates a decline in hiring plans in 2009 based on the global economic downturn.

LONDON, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- British portrait firm Olan Mills Photography said it had collapsed into administration (similar to bankruptcy) and customers feared losing gifts they paid for.

ESPOO, Finland, Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Check Point Software Technologies has acquired Finland-based Nokia's mission critical security appliance business.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan., Dec. 30 (UPI) -- Kansas-based Digital Ally Inc. announced the launch of a new surveillance technology for police motorcycle fleets.