COMPANIES

The largest United States chemical maker DuPont lowered its full-year profit outlook on Friday, a troubling sign for the rest of the chemical market. The company cited slower growth in certain segments because of an unstable global economy as the reasons for the shift.

A market participant with apparently $400 million in cash lying around just became one of Bank of America's (NYSE:BAC) largest shareholders. Between 11:01 and 11:02 a.m. New York time, trade in Bank of America spiked as over 72 million shares changed hands.

The U.S. Department of Justice doesn't want to go to trial until the companies reapply for merger with the Federal Communications Commission.

The Apple Store in Grand Central enjoyed its grand opening Friday. While the 23,000 square-foot store is large enough to accommodate the mobs, the company has other ways to keep crowds at bay.

Speaking at Bloomberg's Captain of Industry series, Stephenson said AT&T's capacity to keep up with wireless demand has been strained and Congress hasn't adequately addressed antiquated policies regarding the wireless industry.

For the first time ever, the Coca-Cola Company put the secret formula on display in its Atlanta museum.

Twitter's redesign isn't available to everybody yet, but a sneak peek at the site's new features reveals that Twitter's strategy to expand its audience is matched by a desire to beat Facebook at its own game. From Twitter profiles to embedded timelines, check out the five big changes to Twitter, and how its redesign plans to take on the social media giant.

Jawbone's CEO responded to customer complaints, offering full refunds on its dysfunctional UP wristband, but also giving customers the option to get their money back AND keep the bands.

International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE:IBM) said on Thursday that it had agreed to acquire software company DemandTec, Inc. (NASDAQ:DMAN) for about $440 million or $13.20 a share.

Citing several sources, Citi analyst Richard Gardner said in a note that the iPad 3 will launch in February with a screen that has double the resolution of Apple's most recent model, the iPad 2. Such a screen enhancement would improve the iPad's graphics to sharpness levels available on Apple's popular iPhone 4 and 4S, according to CNET.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Blue Coat Systems, Silver Standard Resources, Golar LNG, Logitech and Perrigo. The top pre-market NASDAQ losers are: Sears Holdings, Lattice Semiconductor, Intel, ProShares UltraPro and First Niagara Financial.

As we cast our eyes over the year that was, the computer tablet market across the world strikes one as having been the sort of space most affected by a constant stream of products, with each one trying to outdo the other, in terms of innovation, design, components and performance. At the end of it all, however, if you've played the waiting game, hoping that 2012 will be an even better year, here is a brief rundown of what to expect...

The only rule at Loosecubes' office in DUMBO is you have to play nice with others. Words to that effect have been etched in Old English on a wooden placard that hangs near the doorway. Pass that lone condition and you're free to use the company's massive studio, a cavernous room with a makeshift meeting area made from a large canvas tent standing on artificial turf, pinned smack dab in the middle of all the desks.

Panasonic Corp, which has warned it will post a $5.5 billion annual loss, will launch a smartphone in Europe next year, the latest Japanese maker to tiptoe late into a fiercely competitive market dominated by Samsung and Apple.

Luxury goods conglomerate, LVMH is believed to be planning for a £300 million investment on three stores on one of the most expensive shopping areas in London.

The Coca-Cola company has exhibited its secret formula at its World of Coca-Cola corporate museum in Atlanta for the first time, much to the joy of its signature drink fans.

American clothing brand, Banana Republic, celebrated the arrival of their first store in France with a launch party attended by the crème-de-la-crème of the industry.

MIPS Technologies Inc. has announced NOVO7, the world's first tablet with the Ice Cream Sandwich version of Android.

Zynga Inc Chief Executive Mark Pincus said the social games company can double the number of its paying players but he and other executives sidestepped questions about player retention and churn rates, speaking at a luncheon ahead of its IPO.

Smithfield Foods, the McDonald's McRib pork supplier that has come under fire from The Humane Society of the United States, said Thursday its progress toward conversion from gestation crates for its pigs was on track to be completed by 2017.

Real estate developer Forest City Enterprises reported a net loss of $41.9 million, or 25 cents per share, in the third quarter ending Oct. 31, down from $50.6 million, or 33 cents per share, loss in 2010.

Prospects for revenue growth for U.S. insurance brokers in 2012 will likely match or exceed levels reported for the first nine months of 2011. Nevertheless, the competitive fundamentals of the property/casualty insurance market and tepid pace of the global economic recovery will continue to challenge more meaningful improvement in operating performance, Fitch Ratings said Thursday.

McDonald's Corp (MCD.N) reported a bigger-than-expected rise in November sales at established restaurants across the board, led by big gains in Japan, China and a strong showing in its top revenue market of Europe.

Costco Wholesale saw first-quarter profits jump 2.6 percent and revenue rise 13 percent in its fiscal first quarter of 2012, the company announced Thursday.

With the millions of iPhones, BlackBerrys and Androids sold in the U.S., the massive demand for data use is far exceeding the supply of spectrum - the range of all possible frequencies through which signals can be transmitted.

Overstock.com and Barnes & Noble are working as partners to help sell books through the Nook Store. The partnership can help Barnes & Noble compensate for the company's poor physical book sales.

Your morning cereal ritual may pack more of a sugary punch than you thought. A new study has found that some popular cereal brands contain more sugar per serving than a Twinkie or three Chips Ahoy! cookies.

The contract that established Apple as a corporate entity in 1976 and another document, signed 11 days later, that removed one of the partners are expected to fetch up to $150,000 when they are auctioned next week by Sotheby's.

Daily deals site LivingSocial is raising a targeted $400 million in a private offering of which over $176 million of that amount has already been raised, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission.