NATION
NATION
Delphi Automotiveannounces dividend
TROY, Mich. -- Delphi Automotive Systems declared a quarterly dividend of 7 cents a share on its common stock, payable Jan. 16 to shareholders of record Dec. 17.
Rival: Merging companiesshouldn't get aid money
PHILADELPHIA -- Steel companies discussing a major merger drew fire from a competitor for seeking government help with retiree health-care costs.
Dan DiMicco, chief executive of Nucor Corp., the country's second-largest steelmaker, attacked what he said would be "a massive government bailout of a segment of this industry."
"Where do you stop, if you do this; what happens to the airline folks, the people at Enron? The government can't let itself get dragged into something like this," DiMicco said.
Nucor doesn't face the massive health and pension benefit obligations plaguing the companies talking about a merger: U.S. Steel and Bethlehem Steel, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection Oct. 15.
Wheeling-Pittsburgh Steel and at least one other company steel executives haven't identified have also taken part in the merger discussions.
From Vindicator staff and wire reports