Continental cutting 600 reservations jobs

Continental cutting 600 reservations jobs Continental Airlines is cutting about 600 jobs in its reservations centers because customers increasingly prefer to book flights online. Continental told employees about the furloughs on Monday and said they would take effect April 11. The airline said it will cut the jobs of 250 agents who are currently on leave plus another 350 still working.

Judge will approve 'half-baked' SEC-BofA deal A federal judge in New York said he would reluctantly approve an amended $150 million settlement between the Securities and Exchange Commission and Bank of America to end civil charges accusing the bank of misleading shareholders when it acquired Merrill Lynch. But U.S. District Judge Jed Rakoff called the revised pact "half-baked justice at best" and said the court approved it "while shaking its head." The dispute had been scheduled for trial next week.

Chinese foreign investment up again China's foreign investment rose for a sixth straight month in January in a new sign that recovery in the world's third-largest economy is on track, government figures showed. Foreign direct investment rose 7.8 percent in January from a year earlier to $8.1 billion, the Commerce Ministry said. That was below December's growth rate, but China's economic data in the first two months of the year are distorted by the Lunar New Year holiday, which results in fewer working days.

Lufthansa, pilots agree to end four-day strike Lufthansa and its pilots are set to return to the cockpit after the German airline and a key union agreed to halt a four-day strike that disrupted travelers and was poised to go on through Friday. The four-day walkout ended less than 24 hours after it began after two hours in a Frankfurt labor court that saw both sides agree to suspend the strike and hold talks, they said Monday night.

GM gives director Girsky a larger role General Motors Co. named board member Stephen Girsky vice chairman of corporate strategy and business development. The promotion likely means an even bigger role for Girsky, 47, a longtime Wall Street auto analyst who was named to GM's board of directors last July representing the United Auto Workers union. Chairman and CEO Ed Whitacre -- who was an auto industry newcomer when he joined GM last summer -- has said he relies heavily on Girsky for advice.

Taiwan reports economic surge in 4th quarter Taiwan's economy saw its strongest growth in five years in the fourth quarter, surging 9.2 percent with help from stimulus-fueled demand from China for the island's high-tech exports. For all of 2009, Taiwan's economy contracted 1.9 percent, the Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics said Monday. That was the biggest contraction since 1951, the agency said. It predicted economic growth of 4.7 percent for 2010.

Icahn offers slate for Genzyme board Genzyme Corp. said activist investor Carl Icahn intends to nominate himself and three other people to the biotechnology company's board of directors. Genzyme said it will evaluate Icahn's nominees, which include Dr. Steven Burakoff, Dr. Alexander J. Denner and Dr. Richard Mulligan. Both Mulligan and Denner won spots on the board of another biotech company, Biogen Idec Inc., last year following a proxy fight led by Icahn.

FROM NEWS SERVICES