DOUGLAS COUNTY
EchoStar, SBC extend Dish marketing pact
EchoStar Communications Corp. and SBC Communications Inc., the No. 2 local-telephone- service company, have extended and modified an agreement under which the two companies market EchoStar’s Dish satellite television service.
The two plan operational changes to the service next month, San Antonio-based SBC and EchoStar said Tuesday in a statement. The plan will be implemented in “early October.” Under new terms, SBC will get sales commissions and collect fees for service and billing, an SBC spokeswoman said.
DENVER
Qwest, Microsoft
join for VoIP service
Qwest Communications and Microsoft Corp. said Tuesday they are teaming up on an Internet-based telephone and communications service for small and midsized businesses.
The product, expected to debut next year, will feature VoIP, or Voice over Internet Protocol, telephone service; e-mail; Internet access; and other communications services, the companies said. It will be built using Microsoft technology and Qwest’s existing VoIP service.
DENVER
Molson Coors eyes
strategies for Brazil
Molson Coors Brewing Co. reiterated Tuesday that it is looking at a range of options, including third-party discussions, for its Brazilian operation in the wake of speculation that it was close to selling the division.
In a Securities and Exchange Commission filing, the world’s fifth-largest brewer repeated a position first announced in May that it wants to remain in the Brazilian market if it can do so “on a winning basis.” Molson Coors spokeswoman Sylvia Morin said the filing spelled out the same strategy for the Brazilian operation that the company announced in May.
DENVER
Newmont gains $19 million in Kinross sale
Newmont Mining Corp., the world’s largest gold producer, plans to report a $19 million pretax gain in the third quarter from the sale of shares in Kinross Gold Corp.
Newmont, based in Denver, said in a regulatory filing Tuesday that it agreed Friday to sell 14.5 million shares of Kinross for $111.2 million.
DENVER
Royal Gold offering
2 million shares
Royal Gold Inc., a Denver- based precious-metals royalty company, announced Tuesday it is offering 2 million shares of its common stock. The offering will utilize a shelf registration filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
CHICAGO
128 pilots have left United since January
The Air Line Pilots Association at United Airlines told members in a message Wednesday that 95 United pilots have taken early retirements since January and 33 have resigned since the beginning of the year.
United has more than 6,000 active pilots. The company plans to terminate the pilot pension plan and has ended other employee pension plans. Earlier this year, United pilots voted to ratify a pay cut of 11.8 percent.
WASHINGTON
Housing starts slip for
2nd straight month
Construction of new homes slipped for a second month in August, providing fresh evidence that the nation’s housing boom may be cooling.
The Commerce Department reported that construction of new homes and apartments dropped 1.3 percent last month after a decline of 1.5 percent in July. Even with the declines, housing construction totaled 2.01 million units in August, the eighth month of the past nine in which housing has been above the 2 million mark.
RICHMOND, Va.
Circuit City’s profit surprises analysts
Circuit City Stores Inc., the nation’s second-biggest consumer- electronics chain, surprised Wall Street by posting a profit in the second quarter on strong television sales.
The Richmond, Va.-based retailer said Tuesday it earned $1.4 million, or 1 cent a share, in the quarter ended Aug. 31, compared with a loss of $11.9 million, or 6 cents per share, in the year-earlier period. Analysts had expected the company to lose 3 cents a share in the quarter.
ROUND ROCK, Texas
Dell offers smaller digital music player
Dell Inc., the world’s largest maker of personal computers, introduced a smaller version of its digital music player to help tap a market dominated by Apple Computer Inc.’s iPod.
The new $99 Dell DJ Ditty music player, weighing 1.29 ounces, includes an FM radio, Dell said Tuesday. The 512-megabyte DJ Ditty has a 1-inch screen on which users can select from among 220 songs.
TROY, Mich.
Delphi shares drop
on bankruptcy fears
Shares and bonds of Delphi Corp., the largest U.S. auto-parts maker, fell to record lows amid concerns that the company won’t get financial aid from former parent General Motors Corp. and may have to file for bankruptcy.
The stock fell 35 cents, or 10 percent, to $3.02.
REDMOND, Wash.
Microsoft reduces divisions from 7 to 3
Microsoft Corp., the world’s largest software maker, plans to pare its divisions to three from seven to help combat growing competition from rivals including Google Inc.
Microsoft chief executive Steve Ballmer tapped sales chief Kevin Johnson, Jeff Raikes and Robbie Bach to run the divisions.
