Biz Waves

In response to a report that Toyota may move some operations out of California (which Toyota kind of denied), David E. Cole, chairman of the Center for Automotive Research
in Ann Arbor, Mich., made the following observation:

I have heard the rumors and there is usually some truth in them. I don't see Toyota abandoning California but some folks moving out would not surprise me. The costs for people in California are extremely high. There have been some rumors that they might move to Michigan. Southeast Michigan is in many ways the intellectual center of the global auto industry. They have a major engineering activity already here and our costs are really quite low. I think this could become a trend.

This week's column by Muhammed El-Hasan looks at the Wii promotion at Sports Authority.

This week's column by Muhammed El-Hasan looks at the Wii promotion at Sports Authority.

This may be the most politicized defense contract in recent history.

Boeing tanker ally eyes $5 mln per plane Airbus duty

WASHINGTON, Nov 18 (Reuters) - A Boeing Co (BA.N) ally in Congress urged the Pentagon on Wednesday to add as much as $5 million per plane to a rival trans-Atlantic team's bid to supply new U.S. mid-air refueling aircraft.

Rep. Norm Dicks, a member of the House of Representatives Defense Appropriations subcommittee, floated the figure as part of a renewed push by Boeing's political backers, aimed at factoring a September interim global trade ruling into the tanker contract battle.

Read more on the Air Force Tanker Contract.