Jan 3 (Reuters) – The U.S. securities regulator has decided
not to take action against David Sokol, once considered a
possible candidate for the top job at Warren Buffett’s Berkshire
Hathaway Inc, Sokol’s lawyer told Reuters.

In 2011, Buffett said Sokol violated the company’s insider
trading rules to score a $3 million windfall profit on shares of
U.S. chemicals maker Lubrizol, which rose by nearly a third
after Berkshire Hathaway announced it would buy the company.

Dec 20 (Reuters) – U.S. diversified manufacturer Crane Co
said it will buy MEI Conlux Holdings and its Japanese
affiliate for about $820 million from private equity firms Bain
Capital and Advantage Partners to widen its base in making
machines that can handle money through automated mechanisms.

Crane has invested over $220 million to grow its payment
solutions business in recent years and MEI Conlux is the
company’s third deal since 2006 in a business segment that
caters to a range of automated money handling solutions, aimed
at the gaming, retail, transportation and vending markets.

Dec 18 (Reuters) – The company whose AR-15 type Bushmaster
rifle was used in the Newtown school massacre in Connecticut
will be immediately put up for sale, its private equity owner
Cerberus Capital Management LP said on Tuesday in response to
investor concerns.

The secretive private equity firm risked the ire of
investors, which include some of the largest U.S. public pension
funds, after its investment in Freedom Group Inc, owner of
Bushmaster Firearms International that makes the rifle, came
under public scrutiny.

Dec 18 (Reuters) – U.S. private equity firm Cerberus Capital
Management is selling its investment in gunmaker Freedom Group,
whose AR 15 rifle was used in a U.S. school massacre last week,
following pressure from a major investor.

The California State Teachers’ Retirement System (CalSTRS)
said on Monday it was reviewing its investment with Cerberus in
the wake of Friday’s shooting in Newtown, Connecticut which
claimed 27 lives, including 20 school children.

By Sakthi Prasad

(Reuters) – Consulting and advisory firm Monitor Company Group and its affiliates filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, court documents showed, and said it has agreed to sell its assets to global consultancy firm Deloitte DLTE.UL.

As per the asset purchase agreement, Deloitte Consulting LLP will acquire Monitor’s U.S. practice, and practices outside the United States will be acquired by certain other member firms of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu Limited.

By John McCrank and Sakthi Prasad

(Reuters) – Major U.S. stock exchanges expect to reopen on Wednesday after Sandy, the worst storm to hit New York in nearly 75 years, closed trading for two days.

NYSE Euronext (NYX.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) said the New York Stock Exchange would open as usual, although it was prepared to switch to fully electronic trading if necessary. Nasdaq OMX’s Nasdaq Stock Market was also to be operating on Wednesday, as were BATS and Direct Edge Exchanges.

By John McCrank and Sakthi Prasad

(Reuters) – Major U.S. stock exchanges expect to open on Wednesday after Hurricane Sandy, the worst storm to hit New York in nearly 75 years, shut down trading for two days.

NYSE Euronext (NYX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said the New York Stock Exchange would open, although it would switch to fully electronic trading if necessary. Nasdaq OMX’s Nasdaq Stock Market will be operating on Wednesday as well, and BATS Exchanges will be open as well.

By John McCrank and Sakthi Prasad

(Reuters) – Major U.S. stock exchanges expect to open on Wednesday after a monster storm shut down their trading for two days.

NYSE Euronext (NYX.N: Quote, Profile, Research) said the New York Stock Exchange would open, although it would switch to fully electronic trading if necessary. Nasdaq OMX’s Nasdaq Stock Market will be operating on Wednesday as well, a source familiar with the matter said.

By John McCrank and Sakthi Prasad

(Reuters) – Stock exchanges are looking at opening on Wednesday after monster storm Sandy receded from New York, sources said, and the New York Stock Exchange is testing a new plan to help resume trading.

U.S. stock markets were closed on Monday and Tuesday. At least some market participants believe that opening on Wednesday is critical, because many traders need prices to value their portfolios at the end of the month.

Oct 30 (Reuters) – NYSE Euronext said it plans to
test a new contingency plan to help resume stalled U.S. equity
trading, and added that its famed trading floor is not yet
damaged by Sandy, one of the biggest storms to hit the United
States.

U.S. stock markets will be closed for a second day on
Tuesday, as Wall Street turns its attention to whether markets
would be able to resume functioning on the month’s final trading
day on Wednesday.