NEW YORK/LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Barclays Plc urged a judge to throw out a lawsuit by Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc’s bankruptcy estate alleging that it reaped a secret $5 billion profit from its rushed September 2008 purchase of the company’s U.S. brokerage.

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Barclays urges dismissal of Lehman “windfall” suit

NEW YORK (Reuters) – American Express Co raised Chief Executive Kenneth Chenault’s base pay by 60 percent $2 million for 2010, in the latest instance of Wall Street firms boosting regular executive compensation while cutting bonuses.

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American Express CEO gets base pay jump

CHICAGO/LONDON (Reuters) – Kraft Foods Inc is expected to easily win support from Cadbury shareholders for its $18.73 billion (11.68 million pound) takeover of the iconic British chocolatier.

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The work for Kraft starts after winning Cadbury

Toyota Motor Corp., reeling from a record recall of U.S. vehicles, said it will give customers details next week on a fix to an accelerator pedal flaw that sparked a congressional inquiry and a sales halt on eight models.

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Toyota to Explain Fix for Pedal Next Week

PORT-AU-PRINCE (Reuters) – Garment factories are spinning out T-shirts again and street markets are packed, but Haiti’s wrecked capital and damaged port show the huge task ahead in repairing the economy after a huge earthquake.

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After Haiti quake, traders get back to business

THE HAGUE/STOCKHOLM (Reuters) – Leaders from across Iceland’s political spectrum met Dutch and British ministers on Friday over more than $5 billion in “Icesave” bad bank debts, but the talks ended with no signs of progress.

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Icesave talks end with no signs of progress on row

NEW YORK (Reuters) – BlackRock Inc said on Friday that Kendrick Wilson, a former Treasury Department adviser and veteran investment banker, will join the world’s biggest asset manager as vice chairman and member of the chairman’s office.

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BlackRock says Ken Wilson joins as vice chairman

NEW YORK/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Chevron Corp , the second-largest U.S. oil company, posted a 37 percent drop in quarterly profit, missing analyst forecasts, as steep refinery losses offset gains from higher oil prices and production.

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Chevron Q4 profit tumbles, misses Wall St view

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Toyota’s Lost Its Edge? Not So Fast

Although Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s speech on Thursday in Davos was received well, many of the delegates that I spoke with told me they thought Harper’s vision was too blinkered.

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Global Problem Solving? Stephen Harper Defends the Status Quo

The U.S. economy expanded in the fourth quarter at the fastest pace in six years as factories cranked up assembly lines, indicating the recovery may be strong enough to be weaned from government support.

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U.S. Economy: Growth Jumps 5.7%, Fastest Pace in Six Years

Kenneth I. Chenault, chairman and chief executive officer of American Express Co., received a 60 percent salary increase after the credit-card issuer was the top gainer last year in the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

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AmEx’s Chenault Gets 60% Pay Boost to $2 Million (Update1)

Greece is losing the confidence of bondholders that it will reduce the largest budget deficit in the European Union amid increased speculation that the country won’t be able to meet its debt obligations.

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Greek Bonds Show Waning Faith It Can Avoid Bailout (Update4)

Google Inc. Chief Executive Officer Eric Schmidt said his company opposes censorship in China and hopes to apply pressure to improve the situation for the country’s people.

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Google’s Schmidt Hopes ‘Pressure’ Will Help in China (Update1)

Talks between Icelandic, British and Dutch officials ended Friday with no immediate solution to a dispute over compensation for funds lost when Iceland’s banking system collapsed. Iceland is seeking a way to avoid a potentially damaging referendum over…

Iceland – Hague – Bank – Dutch language – Government

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No solution in dispute over Iceland deposits