New CEO of Caterpillar heavy-equipment maker

PEORIA, Ill. -- James W. Owens, a longtime Caterpillar Inc. executive, was named Wednesday to replace retiring chairman and chief executive Glen A. Barton at the heavy-equipment manufacturer. Owens, 57, was named vice chairman and will move up to head the company when Barton retires Jan. 31.

Intel consolidates cost-generating unit

SAN JOSE, Calif. -- Less than a week after warning of a $600 million fourth-quarter charge, Intel Corp. said it is consolidating the unit that caused the problem into another of its businesses. The new Intel Communications Group will provide the silicon chip-based building blocks for networks, cell phones, computers.

Abercrombie & Fitch halts racy catalog

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Clothing retailer Abercrombie & Fitch says it will discontinue its quarterly catalog, which had been criticized for its young, scantily clad or nude models.

-- From wire reports