Bothell’s Epoch Biosciences and its buyer, Nanogen Inc., announced Friday that they have completed their nearly $100 million merger, and Epoch’s stock has ceased trading. Shareholders voted overwhelmingly on Wednesday to have Nanogen, based in San Diego, buy the local company. The combined firm offers a large product line of genetic analysis tools designed for research, academic and medical markets laboratories.
Trade group OK’s new RFID standard
The board of governors for EPCglobal, a trade organization, have approved a new second-generation standard for radio frequency identification products. Everett-based Intermec Technologies Corp. is a pioneer in RFID tags, which act like smarter bar codes, and reading devices. EPCglobal declared the new standard would be “royalty-free,” but Intermec said Friday that it will still require other companies to pay for RFID technology covered by its patents.
Airbus chief likely to get promotion
Airbus’ boss Noel Forgeard is expected to take over as co-chief executive of the planemaker’s parent, European Aeronautic Defence and Space Co., a key shareholder says. Arnaud Lagardere, who controls 15 percent of EADS, said in an interview published Friday that he was throwing his weight behind Forgeard. Forgeard is the French government’s preferred candidate to succeed Philippe Camus when his mandate as the French co-CEO of EADS expires next year.
Key inflation rate slows in November
Consumer prices calmed down in November, helped by smaller increases in energy and food costs. That means the Federal Reserve probably will continue raising interest rates only gradually to keep inflation under control. The consumer price index rose 0.2 percent last month, compared with a 0.6 percent spike in October, the Labor Department reported Friday.
Holiday sales are slow at Circuit City
Circuit City Stores Inc. reported a smaller-than-expected loss in the third quarter on store efficiencies and higher extended warranty sales, but the retailer’s top executive said holiday sales have been slower than expected so far. The nation’s second largest chain of consumer electronics stores said Friday it lost $5.9 million in the quarter ended Nov. 30, compared to a loss of $2.5 million in the year-earlier period.
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