NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy may have devastated the East Coast on Monday, but the water-logged wheels of commerce keep turning, storm damage or not.

As cities from New York down to Washington began to dig out from the historic destruction brought by Sandy, companies scrambled on Tuesday to assess their facilities with an eye toward reopening as soon as possible.

NEW YORK/CHICAGO (Reuters) – Hurricane Sandy may have devastated the East Coast on Monday, but the water-logged wheels of commerce keep turning, storm damage or not.

As cities from New York down to Washington began to dig out from the historic destruction brought by Sandy, companies scrambled on Tuesday to assess their facilities with an eye toward reopening as soon as possible.

By Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – Procter & Gamble Co’s (PG.N: Quote, Profile, Research) profit rose more than expected, indicating that the world’s largest household products company is making progress in cutting costs and giving Chief Executive Bob McDonald a little relief after months of pressure.

Shares of P&G, the maker of Tide detergent and Gillette razors, rose to their highest level in four years.

By Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – Procter & Gamble Co’s (PG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) profit rose more than expected on Thursday, indicating that the world’s largest household products maker is making progress after coming under pressure from activist investor William Ackman.

P&G did not raise its key profit forecast for the fiscal year that began in September, in part because it plans to ramp up marketing support behind new products being introduced later in the year, and because it has to spend more to get an absorbent material for Pampers diapers, its largest brand, following a plant explosion in Japan.

Oct 24 (Reuters) – Kimberly-Clark Corp said on
Wednesday that it would stop selling its Huggies diapers in much
of Western and Central Europe as part of a plan to leave
low-profit businesses in that region.

The company, best known for its Kleenex tissues, also
reported lower quarterly sales due to the stronger U.S. dollar,
but earnings rose, and it raised its profit forecast for the
year.

By Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – Procter & Gamble Co (PG.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Chief Executive Bob McDonald’s efforts to fend off activist investor William Ackman are not likely to be helped by the company’s quarterly results this week.

The maker of Tide detergent and Gillette razors is expected to post its third consecutive decline in revenue and earnings per share when it issues fiscal first-quarter results on October 25. Analysts trimmed their targets when P&G gave a forecast in August that was below Wall Street’s view.

By Dan Levine and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – A new lawsuit accused Wal-Mart Stores Inc (WMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and two staffing agencies of requiring temporary employees to show up early for work, stay late, and work through lunch at the world’s largest retailer.

The proposed class action, filed on Monday in a Chicago federal court, alleged Wal-Mart and the agencies violated minimum wage and overtime laws which could affect several hundred temporary workers in the Chicagoland area.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) posted its worst quarterly restaurant sales growth performance in nine years on Friday, lifting the curtain on the fast-food industry’s ruthless fight for customers in a weak economy.

The world’s biggest fast-food chain is battling more than the bleak global economy that is curbing appetites for purchases of its hamburgers, salads and smoothies. Resurgent chains like Burger King Worldwide Inc (BKW.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) and Yum Brand Inc’s (YUM.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) Taco Bell now are challenging McDonald’s in the United States with revamped menus, celebrity endorsers and a renewed focus on low-priced food.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research) posted its worst quarterly restaurant sales growth performance in nine years, signalling broad pressure on an industry where resurgent chains like Burger King and Taco Bell are fighting aggressively for diners who are spending less to eat out.

The world’s biggest fast-food chain also reported on Friday its second quarter in a row of earnings that missed Wall Street’s estimates. McDonald’s said sales at established restaurants, a closely watched gauge of restaurant performance, are down so far this month.

By Lisa Baertlein and Jessica Wohl

(Reuters) – McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) missed profit expectations for the second quarter in a row as sales at established restaurants grew at their slowest pace in more than nine years because of stepped-up competition and a weak global economy.

The world’s biggest fast food chain also said sales at existing restaurants have fallen so far in October.