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Discusses airlines' changes to coach section seating configurations in an effort to increase profits. Changes being made, as of February 2000, by American Airlines, British Airways and United Airlines; Passenger response; Impact on availability of low-priced tickets; Impact on ticket prices; Risks associated with the strategy.

Reports on the situation between the Boeing Company and its striking engineers and technical workers in the United States. How each group will meet separately with federal mediators amid escalating tensions between the two; Details on the strike and the demands of the workers; Outlook for compromise between the groups.

Focuses on the possible decline of commercial turboprop airplanes in the United States, as airlines seek to replace them with jet airplanes. Reasons why passengers prefer jets to turboprops; Increased competition among airlines which has led to this situation; Example of Continental Airlines. Delta Air Lines, and Northwest Airlines; Jet makers Embraer and Bombardier; Outlook for the situation.

Reports the February 9, 2000 strike of engineers and technical workers at the Boeing Company. Impact on the aerospace company's stock price; Impact of the strike on Boeing's ability to deliver airplanes; Overview of negotiations and employee demands.

Reports the introduction of private cabins equipped with double beds on flights by Virgin Atlantic. Use of the advanced service to cater to couples and business travelers; Comparable services provided by competing airlines; Use of the beds on extended flights for first-class passengers; Others services that airlines are expected to introduce.

Reports on efforts by pharmaceutical companies to unload their agricultural units which have not proved to be profitable. Why the meshing of pharmaceutical and agricultural companies into life sciences conglomerates has not worked out; How life sciences has become one of the drug industry's biggest misadventures; Some of the companies that will be spinning off their agricultural units.

Reports on the financial performance of airplane maker, Boeing Co. in the fourth quarter of 1999. Rate of profit increase; Boeing's stock price as of January 19, 2000; Rate of sales decline.

Focuses on airline funds or shares. Advice to investors about investing in such funds; Benefit offered by American Airlines' funds; Inclusion of the American AAdvantage funds; Performance of British Airways currency fund.

Forecasts the decrease in the earnings of UAL Corp., parent company of United Airlines in the year 2000. Reason for the decrease; Percentage of decrease.

Reports a January 6, 2000 announcement by Lucent Technologies Inc. that its first quarter sales and earnings would fall short of expectations. Effect of the announcement on Lucent stock prices in after-hours trading; Other technology stocks which were affected by the announcement, including Cisco Systems and Nortel Networks; Comments from analysts.

Focuses on the job of personal assistant to the very rich and celebrities. Formation of the Association of Celebrity Personal Assistants; Placements through the Pavillion Agency and the Ivor Spencer International School for Butler Administrators and Personal Assistants; Supply and demand; Job description; Salaries; Challenges.

Focuses on the possible settlement of a lawsuit by consumers against American Home Products Corporation, creator of the diet pill Fen-Phen. History of the lawsuit as a result of concern that the diet pill could cause heart valve damage; Dangers of the flexibility of the company in the settlement, including individual lawsuits; Comments from pharmaceuticals analysts; Outlook.

Discusses United States drug companies marketing of AIDS drugs in the face of the changing profile of those who have the disease. Grants funded by Glaxo Wellcome PLC in 1999; Value of the worldwide market for AIDS drugs; Demographic and sales statistics; Marketing by Merck, Bristol-Myers Squibb, Glaxo Wellcome and DuPont Pharmaceuticals.

Reports that the American Home Products Corp. has agreed in August of 1999 to offer cash settlements to the group of women who contend that they were not adequately warned about the possible side effects of the company's Norplant contraceptive. How offering any settlement is a change of strategy for the company; Comments from lawyer Turner W. Branch over their disappointment at the size of the offers; Description of the contraceptive and the side effects the women experienced.

Reports Canadian conglomerate Onex Corporation's August 24, 1999 offer to buy Air Canada and merge it with Canadian Airlines. How the deal would affect North American passenger traffic and United States airlines; Role of American Airlines' parent company, AMR, in the deal; Response of the two airlines; Industry analysts' response.

Discusses the stock performance of Sunrise Technologies International Inc. Reasons for the poor performance, including a government advisory committee's decision to advise the Food and Drug Administration to reject Sunrise Technologies' laser to treat farsightedness; Activity on July 23, 1999; Suggestion that investors should have known what was coming; Financial woes of the company as reported in Securities and Exchange Commission filings.

Reports on how McKesson HBOC Inc. will correct accounting irregularities at HBO and Company, a software maker acquired in January 1999. How millions in sales from its HBO unit had been improperly booked; Claim of Alan Seelenfreund, McKesson's nonexecutive chairman, that the accounting improprieties were intentionally kept from the due diligence process; The ouster of several executives at McKesson; Investor and analyst reaction to the McKesson restatement.

Reports the June 21, 1999 dismissal of McKesson HBOC Inc. chairman Charles McCall and other executives by the board of directors. Accounting irregularities at HBO & Company, a software maker acquired by McKesson in January 1999; Response of McKesson shares; Identification of other executives dismissed; Details of the irregularities and investigation.

Reports the June 21, 1999 announcement by Abbott Laboratories of plans to acquire Alza Corporation. Value and terms of the stock swap deal; Implications for the United States pharmaceutical industry; Praise for Abbott chairman and chief executive Miles D. White; Impact on Abbott and Alza shares; Analysis of the deal.

Focuses on response to pharmaceutical company American Home Products' June 1, 1999 announcement that it second quarter earnings would not meet analyst estimates because of weak demand for its agricultural products. Extent of the earnings shortfall; Implications; Share price response; Comments from industry analysts.

Discusses bank robbery in North Carolina as of spring 1999. Statistics for 1998 and comparison to United States statistics; Bank executives' attitude toward robberies and the robbery trend; Profile of bank robbers; Apprehension of perpetrators; Bank and personnel security measures.

Focuses on McKesson HBOC in light of it April 28, 1999 announcement of accounting irregularities. Investor response to the announcement of restated earnings and stock price details; Previous questions about McKesson's January 1999 acquisition of HBO and Co.; Details.

Focuses on the pharmaceutical company practice of developing multiple uses for existing compounds. Glaxo Wellcome PLC's marketing of bupropion hydrochloride as Wellbutrin, a treatment for depression, and as Zyban, an aid to smoking cessation; Impact on the trend of changes in United States Food and Drug Administration policies; Economic advantages of developing further indications for existing drugs.

Reports an announcement by Eli Lilly & Company that it would end development of an experimental migraine drug that had been billed as a promising method to treat headaches. Response of analysts; Competitive nature of the market for migraine drugs in the United States; Stock statistics of the company; Impact of the announcement on the stocks of the Synaptic Pharmaceutical Corporation, which was developing the drug with Lilly.

Reports the March 12, 1999 announcement that Pioneer Hi-Bred International and the DuPont Company are discussing a possible combination. Analysts' interpretation of the announcement; Possibility of a United States agriculture industry bidding war for Pioneer; Pioneer share price response; DuPont's stake in partnership projects and previous agreement with Pioneer.

Discusses implantation of polymer arcs as an experimental treatment for myopia. Description of the procedure; California-based Keravision's production of the arcs, known as Intacs; Time frame for the expected United States Food and Drug Administration approval of Intacs; Competitors, and other products under development; US market for vision correction products; Risks of implants.

Reveals that Bell Atlantic Corp. is considering buying Airtouch Communications Inc., the largest wireless phone company in January 1999. When the deal is expected to be announced; Number of customers both companies have at present; Price of the deal; Investor reaction to the proposed deal.

Looks at hurdles to United States sales of prescription drugs for the treatment of migraine headaches. Characteristics of migraines; Effectiveness of drugs known as triptans; Drugs made by Glaxo Wellcome, Merck & Company and Zeneca Pharmaceuticals; Estimate of the size of the market; Sales statistics and comparison to expectations; Marketing of the drugs.

Reports merger discussions between British drug maker Zeneca Group PLC and Sweden's Astra AB. Value of a merger; Combined companies' product line; Division of management positions; Analysts' response to the possible merger.

Reports AMR Corporation's December 14, 1999 announcement of a plan to spin off its stake in the Sabre Holdings Corporation. Size of the American Airlines parent company's stake in the travel reservation company; Airline analysts' praise for the move; Provisions of the divestiture; Stock price response; Outlook for competition in the industry.

Focuses on so-called functional foods and claims made for their effectiveness in combating heart disease, osteoporosis, cholesterol and other conditions. Criticism of exaggerated claims; Prices; Profitability, and estimated United States sales in 1999; US Food and Drug Administration criteria for functional foods; Marketing the products; Novartis' introduction of its Aviva brand; Johnson & Johnson's marketing of Benecol; Mead Johnson's snack products.

Reports plans for a merger of the agricultural divisions of pharmaceutical companies AstraZeneca PLC and Novartis AG. How the companies will create the world's largest agricultural company; Value of the deal; Comments of analysts; Plans of Novartis to acquire a pharmaceutical company in the United States.

Relates that Warner-Lambert released confidential information about its co-sponsorship deal with Pfizer for the cholesterol-lowering drug Lipitor. Potential sales of Lipitor; The nature and potential impact of the information released; Pfizer's takeover bid of Warner-Lambert, and Warner-Lambert's merger agreement with American Home Products.

Focuses on the response of executives from three European drug companies to Pfizer's hostile bid for Warner-Lambert. Comments on the impact of a combination of Pfizer and Warner-Lambert from executives of SmithKline Beecham, Glaxo Wellcome and AstraZeneca; Outlook for further mergers in the pharmaceutical industry.

Reports the effects of Pfizer Inc.'s bid for Warner-Lambert in comparison with American Home Products' bid for the company on the companies' stock valuation. Competition between the two pharmaceutical companies; Other possible mergers; Outlook.

Reports the November 4, 1999 efforts of Pfizer Inc. to break up the just-announced merger agreement between American Home Products and Warner Lambert with a hostile bid for Warner-Lambert. Products that make Warner-Lambert an attractive acquisition; Competition in the pharmaceutical industry; Consideration of a Pfizer acquisition of the company.

Reports the expected merger of American Home Produces and Warner-Lambert to form the world's largest drug company, to be known as AmericanWarner. Value of the deal; Expected approval, as of November 4, 1999; Implications for stockholders; Analysis.

Reports American Home Products' October 7, 1999 agreement to a settlement with people who claim injury from use of the diet pill combination fen-phen. Size of the settlement, number of people involved, and conditions; Response of executives and pharmaceutical industry analysts; Implications for further liability; United States use of the drug; History of litigation.

Reports on the 1999 third quarter earnings of several pharmaceutical companies including Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Warner-Lambert. Total earnings for the quarter; Earnings per share.

Deals with the treatments for asthma. Drugs introduced in the United States that could treat asthma; Worldwide sales of asthma drugs; Reason the death rate in asthma is rising; Factors that have hindered advances in medications; Mechanism of action of leukotriene modifiers Accolate from Astra-Zeneca and Singulair from Merck; Information on E25, a compound said to treat asthma.

Reports on the stocks performance of generic drug companies in the United States (US). Stocks posted by Watson Pharmaceuticals firm and Forest Laboratories company; Lawsuit filed by the US Federal Trade Commission against Hoechst Marion Roussel company and Andrx company; Expectation on the investigation initiative of the government.

Features Daniel Vasella, chief executive of Novartis AG, the world's largest drug company. How he is compared with other chief executives; Cell phones he carried like many other executives.

Focuses on the decision of American Home Products Corp. to settle the lawsuits filed by consumers who contend they were injured by taking fen-phen, a diet-pill manufactured by the company. Amount of settlement offered by the company; Preliminary agreement of both parties; Details on the agreement.

Reports on a policy implemented by Wal-Mart Stores Inc. regarding the dispensing of drugs by pharmacists. Criticism by Planned Parenthood on Wal-Mart's refusal to carry a brand of high-dose birth control medication, before the policy was implemented; Comment from Alexander Sanger, president of Planned Parenthood; Statement issued by the company.

Focuses on the performance of drug stocks in 1998 and 1999 in the United States. Factors attributed to the negative return of drug stocks in 1999; When the decline in the overall market will continue; Financial status of drug companies; Implications.

Reports on the promotional efforts of Merck and Monsanto for their arthritis drugs. Expected market growth for prescription arthritis drug; Issue on competitiveness; Financial performance of both companies.

Reports that drug maker Johnson & Johnson would buy Centocor Inc. Worth of the deal; Share price of each company; Terms of the merger accord; Overview of the acquisition trend among drug companies.

Discusses the profit increase of pharmaceutical companies in the United States for the second quarter of 1999. Johnson & Johnson; SmithKline Beecham; American Home Products; Bristol-Myers Squibb Co.

Features Robert M. Haft, owner of the Vitamins.com firm. His business views; Background of Haft; Assets of Haft.

Discusses the relationship between women's health and pharmaceutical companies. Problem with pharmaceuticals in selling their products; Information on different drug companies in the United States with regards to spending on women's initiatives; Necessity for having a separate division for women's health.