Shares of stem-cell research companies rose after the U.S. Senate majority leader said he supported expanding federal financing of the controversial medical research.
Sen. Bill Frist (R-Tennessee), broke with President Bush by saying the government should remove some of the administration's limitations on embryonic stem cell research.
Geron (GERN) shares rose 77 cents, or 7.5 percent, to 10.98 in morning trading on the Nasdaq Stock Market. Stemcells Inc. (STEM) jumped $1.28 or 24 percent while Aastrom Biosciences (ASTEM) climbed 34 cents, or 11 percent.
Only Geron is focused on embryonic stem cells. Stemcells and Aastrom research adult stem cells, while Viacell, which had a 6.2 percent jump in shares, concentrates on cells from umbilical cords.
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Eastern skies: China confirmed the bulk of a large order for Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner, but company officials were trying to determine why the 50-plane sale was 10 short of what the Chinese announced earlier this year.
Airlines involved in the deal are the national flag carrier Air China, Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines, Hainan Airlines, Xiamen Airlines and Shanghai Airlines. The deal is worth $6 billion. Chicago-based Boeing (BA) has said the 787s will be priced at about $120 million each.
The deal originally involved six airlines -- including China Southern -- and was for 60 787s worth $7.2 billion. China Southern and affiliate Xiamen Airlines signed a contract in April to buy 45 Boeing 737s.
China has made a series of major aircraft buys in recent years from Boeing and its European rival, Airbus, to serve its booming airline industry. Boeing says the first 787 will be delivered in 2008.
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Open information: Businesses would have to protect credit-card accounts and other sensitive consumer information and notify them when they have been exposed to identity theft, under a bill approved by a Senate committee.
The vote marks the first time Congress has taken steps to improve data security following a string of breaches that have exposed some 50 million consumers to possible identity theft.
Seventeen states have passed similar laws, prompting banks and other businesses to ask Congress to set a single national standard.
Under the Commerce Committee's bill, businesses and other institutions would have to notify consumers within 45 days if they are exposed to identity theft from any security breach. They would also have to notify the Federal Trade Commission, and the FTC would publicize those that affect more than 1,000 consumers.
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Piece o' the rock: Canada and Denmark have taken their diplomatic tussle over a lump of Arctic rocks to the internet with competing Google ads claiming sovereignty over Hans Island.
The diplomatic debate began when Denmark said it would send a letter of protest over a visit to the 1/2-square-mile Hans Island last week by Canadian Defense Minister Bill Graham. Graham stated Canada has always owned the uninhabited chunk of land, 680 miles south of the North Pole.
Toronto resident Rick Broadhead googled the matter and found an ad that touted Hans Island as Danish. "Does Hans sound Canadian? Danish name, Danish island."
Internet users clicking on the ad were directed to the Danish Foreign Ministry's website.
So Broadhead paid for his own Google ad and created a website to promote Ottawa's sovereignty. Broadhead's web site outlines Canada's argument that Hans Island belonged to the British and became Canada's in 1867.
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Compiled by David Cohn. AP and Reuters contributed to this report.
