BlackBerry shakeup continues as COO, CFO depart

TORONTO — BlackBerry's interim chief executive has shaken up BlackBerry's management team in a move seen as prelude to him taking the top job himself.

Chief Operating Officer Kristian Tear and Chief Marketing Officer Frank Boulben, both hired by recently ousted CEO Thorsten Heins, will leave the struggling smartphone maker.

And the company said Monday that Brian Bidulka is being replaced by James Yersh as chief financial officer. Yersh previously served as senior vice president and controller.

Former Sybase CEO John Chen was brought in as the interim chief executive after negotiations to sell the Waterloo, Ontario, company collapsed this month. Chen also serves as executive chair of the board.

Blackberry quickly lost dominance as the leading smartphone maker as the popularity of the iPhone surged. The much-hyped BlackBerry 10 system, its latest phones, were a flop. The company disclosed in September that it would book nearly a billion dollars in losses related to unsold phones.

The company recently announced 4,500 layoffs, or 40 percent of its global workforce, and reported a quarterly loss of nearly $1 billion.

Chen said he'll continue to align the management team with his priorities. "I look forward to working more directly with the talented teams of engineers, and the sales and marketing teams around the world to facilitate the BlackBerry turn-around," Chen said in a statement.

BGC analyst Colin Gillis said the reshaping of a leadership team is what a CEO does and that the company should just name Chen as CEO.

"You let whoever is going to be the CEO makes those decisions. It kind of bothers me because it just seems like the search process is a farce. I mean the guy has a more than an $80 million pay package. He's blown out every other top manager. That's not your decision to make as interim CEO," Gillis said.

Gillis expects Chen to be named CEO on Dec. 20 when BlackBerry reports third quarter earnings.

And spokesman Adam Emery said the company will have a further update on its leadership team Dec. 20. Emery said they will not have a chief marketing officer and a chief operating officer in its new organization structure. Gillis said one could infer that an enterprise focused business would have less need for marketing and a chief marketing officer than a consumer focused business.

Chen, whose background is in enterprise software, has placed much more of an emphasis on BlackBerry's software business than its handset, or smartphone business. Chen told The Associated Press earlier this month that he would be looking for a CEO with a strong software and services background, and noted that he wanted to monetize BlackBerry Messenger, the popular messaging application. BlackBerry also has a mobile device management business, which allows IT departments to manage different devices connected to their corporate networks.

Fairfax head Prem Watsa, BlackBerry's largest shareholder, has praised Chen's work turning around Sybase, an enterprise software data management company. Chen was chairman and CEO from 1998 until the company was acquired in 2010 by SAP AG.

Gillis said Chen clearly wants to make BlackBerry more of a software company. The new direction could mean the company might ultimately get out of the business of selling smartphones.

"The path that he's choosing, it might work, or he could kill the completely, whatever value it has left," Gillis said.

Shares of BlackBerry rose 10 cents, or 1.5 percent, to $6.34 in morning trading on the Nasdaq. Blackberry is worth $3.2 billion. It once had a market cap of over $80 billion.

The decline of the BlackBerry has come shockingly fast. In 1999, BlackBerry became a game-changing breakthrough in personal connectedness. It changed the culture by allowing on-the-go business people to access wireless email. Then came a new generation of competing smartphones, and suddenly the BlackBerry looked ancient. Apple debuted the iPhone in 2007 and showed that phones can handle much more than email and phone calls. In the years since, BlackBerry been hammered by competition from the iPhone as well as Android-based rivals.

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Mass. gas prices shoot up by 7 cents per gallon

BOSTON — The price of a gallon of gas in Massachusetts has shot up by 7 cents in the past week.

AAA Southern New England said Monday that its weekly survey found a gallon of self-serve regular selling for an average of $3.35 per gallon.

That's 7 cents above the national average and a penny higher than a month ago, but still 21 cents lower than at the same time last year.

AAA found self-serve regular selling as low as $3.20 per gallon in Massachusetts and as high as $3.55.

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China to invest in Romanian nuclear, wind power

BUCHAREST, Romania — China's prime minister says his country will invest in Romanian nuclear and wind energy production as well as a high-speed railway.

Li Keqiang arrived in Romania Monday a day ahead of a summit with leaders from Central and East European countries.

On the occasion of the visit, Romanian and Chinese officials signed various deals to cooperate in nuclear and thermoelectric energy projects and to resume beef and pork exports. No values for the deals were disclosed.

Romanian exports to China have tripled since 2008 and bilateral commerce this year amounted to $3.27 billion, according to Chinese authorities.

It was the first visit by a Chinese prime minister to Romania in 19 years. Li said the visit "consolidates reciprocal political trust."

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World stocks rise on Iran deal, Wall St momentum

LONDON — World stocks rose and oil prices fell Monday after world powers and Iran reached a deal on the country's nuclear program and as Wall Street added to its seven weeks of gains.

Sunday's deal was the first significant progress in years to curtail Iran's nuclear ambitions. It will reduce the risk of conflict, improve trade and could boost crude oil supplies to the global economy.

Iran agreed with the U.S., Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany to limit enrichment of uranium to 5 percent, far below the level needed for nuclear weapons. In return, it got limited relief from sanctions that have hobbled its economy, but an embargo on its oil exports remains in place while negotiations continue for an enduring deal.

"Perhaps the Iran nuclear deal, effectively setting limits to Iran's nuclear program, has added to the buoyant risk mood," said Stan Shamu, market strategist at IG in Melbourne, Australia.

Britain's FTSE 100 stock index rose 0.2 percent to 6,688.66 and Germany's DAX advanced 0.9 percent to 9,302.16. France's CAC-40 added 0.5 percent to 4,300.32.

Wall Street continued to be lifted by the Federal Reserve's super easy monetary policy, signs of gradual improvement in the U.S. economy and rising company profits.

The Standard & Poor's 500 was up almost 0.1 percent to 1,805.16, having closed on Friday above 1,800 for the first time, capping seven straight weeks of gains. The Dow was up 0.1 percent at 16,076.50.

In energy trading, benchmark U.S. crude for January delivery was down 76 cents to $94.08 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange as the nuclear deal made it more likely that the sanctions choking Iranian oil exports will eventually be lifted. The contract fell 60 cents to close $94.84 on Friday.

Earlier, in Asia, Japan's Nikkei 225 stock average jumped 1.5 percent to 15,619.13 and Seoul's Kopsi climbed 0.5 percent to 2,015.98. Australia's S&P/ASX 200 gained 0.3 percent to 5,352.80. Markets in India, Singapore, Indonesia and Taiwan also rose, but Hong Kong's Hang Seng reversed gains to close down slightly at 23,684.45.

Also going against the trend was Thailand, where the SET index fell 0.5 percent as protesters invaded the Ministry of Finance's compound in Bangkok, escalating a campaign to topple the government after weekend protests drew tens of thousands.

The euro fell 0.3 percent to $1.3507 while the dollar rose 0.4 percent to 101.67 yen.

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Portugal strikes, legal action bring fiscal risk

LISBON, Portugal — The Portuguese government's woes are piling up as it battles to comply with austerity measures demanded by its 78 billion-euro ($105 billion) bailout.

Amid a recent spate of strikes by labor groups and street protests against pay and pension cuts, Lisbon ferry workers walked off the job Monday. Also, court sessions were cancelled as magistrates went on strike, while a walkout by border guards caused delays at airports.

Last weekend, President Anibal Cavaco Silva asked the Constitutional Court to rule on the legality of a new law cutting the pensions of government workers. The court has disallowed key debt-reduction measures five times over the past two years.

Inspectors from Portugal's bailout creditors are due in Lisbon next week amid concerns the country may end up needing more financial help.

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Feared Colorado boycott over gun laws is a bust

DENVER — A boycott by hunters opposed to Colorado's new laws meant to curtail gun violence has failed to materialize.

The state's primary big game hunting seasons have closed with no trace of the boycott gun-rights advocates had warned about, The Denver Post reported Monday.

"Through the main big game seasons, we were up about 5,000 licenses over last year at this time," said Randy Hampton, spokesman for Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Final numbers won't be available until next year, but the initial figures are a positive sign for Colorado's $1.8 billion hunting and fishing industry.

The significance is magnified within CPW, the agency charged with managing the state's wildlife resources. It draws a significant portion of its operating budget from nonresident big game licenses. The division last year collected $38 million in elk and deer licenses from nonresidents, compared with $7.6 million from in-state hunters.

The biggest revenue generators are nonresident elk licenses, both the $589 limited licenses hunters must apply for and $586 over-the-counter licenses that become available later in the summer. By comparison, a limited elk hunting license for adult Colorado residents costs only $49, and over-the-counter resident licenses are $46.

"Again, we don't have the final figures, but we know that our net sales dollars are up as well. Pretty substantially," Hampton said. "Based on that, your gut tells you that nonresident licenses were either stable or up as well. There certainly wasn't a significant decline because a large number would be noticed on the end result."

Colorado attracted national attention and threats of a hunting boycott last spring after Gov. John Hickenlooper signed a trio of gun laws restricting magazine capacity to 15 rounds and mandating background checks, paid by the purchaser, on most gun sales.

Despite the laws passing just before the state's big game license application deadline, limited-license applications increased by 17,000, or 4 percent, over the 2012 figures.

"If you want to go elk hunting, you are going to come here," said Eric Whirley, owner of Action Taxidermy in Gypsum, adding that his business was the best it has been since opening nine years ago. "... You aren't going to Michigan to go elk hunting because Colorado changed a law."

Stan Wyatt of Wyatt's Sports Center in Meeker said he didn't see any difference in license sales from 2012, and while some hotels saw fewer visitors, the recently remodeled Elk Mountain Inn in Meeker had more.

"I didn't personally notice any impact. I've got pretty loyal clients, and Colorado is still the best place in the country to kill a big mule deer," said hunting guide Miles Fedinic of FMF Outdoors in Craig.

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Contracts to buy US homes fall for 5th month

WASHINGTON — The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes fell in October for the fifth straight month. Higher mortgage rates, price increases and the 16-day partial government shutdown held back sales.

The National Association of Realtors said Monday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index dipped 0.6 percent to 102.1. That's the lowest level since December. September's reading was revised slightly higher to 102.7.

There is generally a one- to two-month lag between a signed contract and a completed sale. The drop suggests final sales will remain weak in the coming months.

The Realtors' group said the shutdown prevented the IRS from verifying incomes, a critical part of the mortgage-approval process. The group said that 17 percent of Realtors reported delays.

Sales may rebound a bit in November as purchases delayed by the shutdown are completed. But sales are not expected to pick up much after that.

"The recovery in home sales has clearly at least stalled," said Jim O'Sullivan, chief U.S. economist with High Frequency Economics, a forecasting firm. "With other data showing the recovery in the labor market still on track, and confidence moving up again, we expect home sales to start trending up again in coming months."

A limited supply of homes has pushed up prices in the past year. Prices of existing homes jumped 12 percent in September from the previous year, according to real estate data provider CoreLogic.

Signed contracts fell sharply in the West, where investors have snapped up foreclosed homes and bid up prices in the past year. Signed contracts also slipped in the South, another area hit hard during the crisis.

But contracts rose last month in the Northeast and Midwest.

Mortgage rates have eased but remain nearly a point higher than they were in the spring. The average rate on a 30-year mortgage fell to 4.22 percent last week from 4.35 percent the week before. That's down from a peak in August of nearly 4.6 percent and still low by historical standards.

Last week, the Realtors said sales of existing homes fell 3.2 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.12 million, down from a pace of 5.29 million in September and the slowest since June. Sales at an annual rate of about 5.5 million are consistent with a healthy market.

Sales should rise about 10 percent this year to 5.1 million, the Realtors' group predicts. About 4.67 million homes were sold in 2012. But it expects sales will be roughly flat next year.

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Fiat says no Chrysler IPO in 2013

FLORENCE, Italy — Chrysler won't be offering its stock for sale on the public markets this year.

Italian automaker Fiat SpA, Chrysler's majority owner, said in a statement Monday that Chrysler's board has determined an initial public offering is "not practicable" in 2013.

Instead, Chrysler Group LLC will continue work on the offering so it can happen in the first quarter of next year, the statement said.

Fiat owns 58.5 percent of Chrysler's shares, with the remaining 41.5 percent held by a United Auto Workers union trust fund that pays health care bills for blue-collar retirees.

But Sergio Marchionne, CEO of both automakers, has been squabbling with the trust over the price, and so far they haven't been able to reach agreement. Marchionne wants to buy the trust's shares in order to combine the companies.

The IPO would consist of shares currently held by the trust. Last month, UBS AG set the value of the trust's stake at $5.6 billion. Fiat has gone to court seeking a judgment on the price, but the trial date is set for next September.

The pricing process for the IPO might be the stimulus needed for the two sides to reach agreement and avoid the public sale. "I'm not selling anything and nor do I think we need to do so," Marchionne said in October.

Marchionne can't spend Chrysler's cash on Fiat's operations unless the companies merge. He has made it clear that he would prefer to settle the dispute without an IPO, but filed the paperwork for the offering in September at the trust's request.

But Chrysler's profits have been propping up Fiat on the balance sheet all year as the Italian automaker struggles in a down European market.

The Auburn Hills, Mich., automaker earned $464 million last quarter on U.S. sales of the Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee, its ninth-straight profitable quarter. The results boosted Fiat, which earned $260 million in the third quarter. Without Chrysler's contribution, Fiat would have lost $340 million.

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Butterball CEO on why Turkey Talk Line hired men

NEW YORK — Turkey isn't just for Thanksgiving, says Butterball CEO Rod Brenneman.

Whether it's turkey sausage for breakfast, turkey medallions on salad for lunch or roast turkey and gravy for dinner, Brenneman says he eats the bird at least once every day.

His meal choices were among the personal glimpses he shared during an interview with The Associated Press. Brenneman also dished about how Butterball handles its busiest time of year. The company, based in Garner, N.C., estimates that it makes one out of every five turkeys eaten on Thanksgiving.

This year, Butterball ran into a shortage of large, fresh turkeys. Brenneman says it's the first time the company had trouble fattening up its birds in time for the holidays. He says the cause is unknown but is being investigated.

In the meantime, Butterball is welcoming another first: Its famous Turkey Talk Line at 1-800-BUTTERBALL now will employ men. The toll-free line has been a resource for cooks with questions about preparing their holiday feasts since 1981. On Thanksgiving alone, Butterball says the line fields more than 12,000 calls.

Here are excerpts from the interview with Butterball's Brenneman:

Q: Where did the name Butterball come from? And how do you feel about the term being used to describe chubby people?

A: Many people think Butterball turkeys have butter in them, but they don't. Basically the name came about because of their plump size and golden color. We're proud of the Butterball name. There is no talk or joke about being a butterball at this company. Only about our turkeys. They're plump.

Q: Do you produce whole turkeys year round or just as you get closer to Thanksgiving?

A: Ten months out of the year we're producing whole turkeys and freezing them. Those are the frozen birds that you're buying (for Thanksgiving). For October and November, we shift into what we call fresh season. Those birds are all fresh.

Q: So the turkey I buy could've been frozen a long time ago?

A: They're frozen throughout the year. It could've been a month ago. It could've been three or four months ago. Either way, once they're frozen, they maintain their quality and shelf life.

Q: What are some of the most common questions you get on the Turkey Talk line?

A: "How long does it take to thaw a turkey?"

Q: What are some of the more unusual questions you've had?

A: We had a time when the people had left their turkey outside all night. I guess it was really cold and it had snowed. They called and they wanted to know how to locate their turkey in the snow.

Q: Why did you decide to have men field calls?

A: One in four calls we get at the Turkey Talk Line are men, believe it or not. We stepped back and looked at the changing Thanksgiving table and men are becoming more and more a part of, not only the carving of the turkey, but the cooking of the turkey.

Q: Do they have to go through any training?

A: Every single person who works on the Turkey Talk Line goes through Butterball University. They are trained from A-to-Z on turkey and turkey-related items. I think it lasts for one week each year.

Q: Do you do the cooking on Thanksgiving, and if so, have any tips?

A: Getting the turkey prepared and in the oven is usually my job, and then carving it. If anyone has any questions at all, I'd say call 1-800-Butterball. I've actually used it myself. For example, last year I was up in the mountain and I called to see if I needed to cook it differently at that altitude. Believe or not, the lady knew the answer right off the top of her head. Since I was below a certain altitude, I didn't need to change anything about it.

Q: Did you tell her you were the CEO?

A: I did not.

___

Follow Candice Choi at www.twitter.com/candicechoi

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Nielsen buying Harris Interactive for about $117M

Consumer research and TV ratings firm Nielsen agreed to buy market research firm Harris Interactive for about $116.6 million, saying it will help it provide insights to customers.

Harris Interactive said Nielsen agreed to pay $2 per share, but the price may change. The per-share amount is 4 percent below Harris Interactive Inc.'s $2.08 Friday closing price.

Harris Interactive CEO Al Angrisani said in a statement on Monday that the company chose the Nielsen transaction after a review of its strategic options that started earlier this year. Harris Interactive's board unanimously approved the deal.

John Lewis, president of the Americas for Nielsen, said in a statement that the acquisition adds to the company's existing capabilities and will provide growth opportunities in other industry sectors.

The transaction is expected to close in the first quarter.

Shares of Rochester, N.Y.-based Harris Interactive fell 9 cents, or 4.3 percent, to $1.99 in midday trading. Shares of Nielsen Holdings N.V., which is based in New York and the Netherlands, added 59 cents, or 1.4 percent, to $41.71.

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