US companies offset weak sales growth with fat margins

After four years of belt-tightening, American companies are good at squeezing more profit out of every dollar of sales - a skill that chief executives regard as critical in the face of an uncertain economy.

Chinese Firm Wins Bid for Auto Battery Maker

DETROIT — Wanxiang Group, a large Chinese auto parts maker, won a high-stakes auction on Sunday for assets of A123 Systems, the bankrupt American battery maker that was a centerpiece of the Obama administration’s loan program for electric vehicles.

Companies Profiting The Most From War: 24/7 Wall St.

Global sales of arms and military services by the 100 largest defense contractors increased in 2010 to $411.1 billion, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. The increase reflects a decade-long trend of growing military spending. Since 2002, total arms sales among the 100 largest arms manufacturers have increased 60%.

HP donates WebOS to open sourcers

The code behind the mobile operating system, WebOS, is being released to open source software developers by Hewlett Packard.