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Nokia downplays shareholder opposition to Alcatel-Lucent deal

Nokia Chief Executive Rajeev Suri defended the terms of its pending acquisition of smaller telecom gear maker Alcatel-Lucent after a shareholder criticized them as unacceptable. Odey Asset Management, Alcatel-Lucent’s second-largest shareholder with 5 percent, said in a letter to investors that it would not tender its shares in the Nokia takeover because the 15.6 billion euro price in the all-share deal was too low, according to the Financial Times newspaper.

Sales of $100 million homes rise to record

Demand for mega-mansions and penthouses has accelerated as wealthy buyers seek havens for their cash and search for alternative investments such as art and collectible real estate, according to a report Thursday by Christie’s International Real Estate, owned by auction house Christie’s. Five homes sold for more than $100 million last year, with at least 20 more on the market with nine-figure asking prices, the brokerage said. “You’re looking at

U.S. jobless claims at 15-year low; consumer spending rises

The number of Americans filing new claims for jobless benefits tumbled to a 15-year low last week and consumer spending rose in March, signs the economy was regaining momentum after stumbling badly in the first quarter. Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 34,000 to a seasonally adjusted 262,000 for the week ended April 25, the lowest reading since April 2000, the Labor Department said. The four-week moving average of

Warren Buffett losing some mojo on his economic 'moats'

Warren Buffett has carved out a core stock-picking strategy of investing in companies with strong economic “moats,” businesses that have built, fortified and generated success from well-known brands that make it difficult for them to succumb to competitive forces. Stalwarts like International Business Machines (IBM.N), Coca-Cola Inc (KO.N), Procter & Gamble Co (PG.N) to name a few have showed declining revenue trends in recent years, and face competition that may