AP Executive Morning Briefing

The top business news from The Associated Press for the morning of Friday, April 6, 2007:

Consumer Confidence Falls for 2nd Month

WASHINGTON (AP) _ Consumer confidence sank to a six-month low as higher gasoline prices, a housing slump and stock market turbulence made people fret more about the economy. The RBC Cash index showed confidence dropping to 85.4 in April. That was down from 92.3 in March. The new reading was the lowest since 83.1 in October. The index is based on the results of the international polling firm Ipsos.

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Kerkorian Makes $4.5B Offer for Chrysler

NEW YORK (AP) _ Billionaire investor Kirk Kerkorian is making another bid for Chrysler, adding a new contender to the list of those vying to own the troubled automaker. Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp., which tried to buy Chrysler in 1995 and lost out when the company merged with Daimler-Benz three years later, made a $4.5 billion cash offer Thursday for DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group.

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Japan Halts Imports From Kan. Meat Plant

TOKYO (AP) _ Japan ordered imports halted from a major meat plant in Kansas Friday after a beef shipment arrived without proper papers, the third American meatpacker that's had some exports to Japan stopped for technical violations. Four boxes of frozen beef tongue in a shipment of 250 boxes, totaling about 2 tons, which arrived in Kobe, central Japan, from Cargill Meat Solutions in Dodge City, Kansas, didn't have the required papers from the U.S. government, the agriculture ministry said in a statement.

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China Denies Role in U.S. Pet Deaths

BEIJING (AP) _ China has denied responsibility for several pet deaths in the United States which U.S. authorities blame on a batch of chemically contaminated wheat gluten from China, state media reported. But differing statements on whether China has even exported wheat gluten to the U.S. revealed confusion that points to serious problems in the regulation of China's exports and its dismal record on food safety.

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Wal-Mart Dog Treats Join Pet Food Recall

WASHINGTON (AP) _ The recall of pet foods and treats contaminated with an industrial chemical expanded Thursday to include dog biscuits made by an Alabama company and sold by Wal-Mart under the Ol'Roy brand. The Food and Drug Administration said the manufacturer, Sunshine Mills Inc., is recalling dog biscuits made with imported Chinese wheat gluten. Testing has revealed the wheat gluten, a protein source, was contaminated with melamine, used to make plastics and other industrial products.

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McDonald's, KFC to OK Unions in China

SHANGHAI, China (AP) _ China's state-affiliated labor union said Friday it expects U.S. fast-food companies McDonald's and KFC to set up branches in some outlets in southern China within this year. Hang Yuan, a spokeswoman for the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, said the group has been discussing the issue of setting up such organizations with McDonald's China and Yum Brands Inc., which operates KFC and Pizza Hut.

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Zell Bought Trib as Long-Term Investment

CHICAGO (AP) _ In his first extensive interview since agreeing to acquire the Tribune Co., billionaire investor Sam Zell said he did so as a long-term investment, and having the right content is the key to the company's success. "If you are relevant, people are going to buy the newspaper," he said in an interview with Chicago Tribune business editors and reporters. "If you're not relevant, then people will stop buying the newspaper and stop advertising and we'll all be in a stew of trouble."

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Japanese Stocks Decline in Light Trading

TOKYO (AP) _ Japanese stocks slipped Friday, with real estate, retail and auto shares dropping in light trading ahead of the release of the U.S. jobs report. The benchmark Nikkei 225 index fell 6.64 points, or 0.04 percent, to finish at 17,484.78 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. On Thursday, the index shed 0.30 percent.

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Court: Pair May Take Dillard's to Court

ST. LOUIS (AP) _ A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that there is enough evidence for a jury trial in a lawsuit filed by a black couple who say they suffered racial discrimination at a Dillard's department store. A three-judge panel of the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal district court erred when it threw out Rodney and Charlan Green's civil rights case at the request of Little Rock, Ark.-based Dillard's Inc.

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Harrah's Shareholders Approve Buyout

LAS VEGAS (AP) _ Harrah's Entertainment Inc. shareholders approved a $17.1 billion buyout Thursday by two private equity groups in the largest deal ever to take a publicly held casino company private, officials said. Shareholders controlling 66 percent of outstanding stock approved selling the world's largest casino company to Apollo Management Group and Texas Pacific Group, Harrah's officials announced.

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Gold Prices

HONG KONG (AP) _ Hong Kong's financial markets, including its stock and gold markets, were closed Friday and will be closed Monday for the Easter holiday. They will reopen Tuesday.

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Japan Markets

TOKYO (AP) _ Japanese stocks slipped Friday, with real estate, retail and auto shares dropping in light trading ahead of the release of the U.S. jobs report.

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Dollar-Yen

TOKYO (AP) _ The dollar rose in Asia Friday in subdued trading ahead of the Easter holidays and U.S. jobs data being released later in the day.

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