Here are the leading candidates to succeed Alan Mulally as Ford's CEO. Mulally, 66, says he has no plans to retire. But he acknowledges that the carmaker has a succession plan for every top management position.

TAX NIP: A one-time tax hit sent profits at drinks company Diageo PLC's down 20 percent in the last six months of 2011, despite rising income following a strong performance in emerging markets.

Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra officials insist it's not "American Idol" meets Mozart.

The euro jumped to a 2-month high against the dollar Thursday after Greek leaders agreed on a cost-cutting plan that should prevent the country from defaulting on its debt.

Greece's political leaders on Thursday agreed to steep government cutbacks and economic reforms to qualify for a euro130 billion ($170 billion) bailout from other countries in Europe and around the world.

Business owners will find two new questions on their income tax forms this year:

CHINA CONNECTION: Strong sales of Mercedes luxury cars in China and the U.S. helped German automaker Daimler AG post a stronger than expected 57 percent increase in fourth quarter profits. The company made net profit of euro1.78 billion ($2.36 billion), ahead of the average forecast compiled by FactSet of euro1.30 billion.

South Africa's president announced ambitious infrastructure projects Thursday, laying out his plans for creating jobs and hope in nation harder hit than most in Africa by global recession.

The Food and Drug Administration is preparing to review the first lower-cost versions of biotech drugs, expensive medications which have never before faced generic competition.

Groupon had a lot to prove with its first earnings report as a public company. The nearly 14 percent slide in its stock Thursday suggests investors were not impressed.

On Thursday, 49 states reached a $25 billion deal with the nation's biggest mortgage lenders over foreclosure abuses that occurred after the housing bubble burst.

Colorado Attorney General John Suthers says Colorado will get about $205 million as part of a multistate settlement with the nation's five largest national banks over home foreclosures.

The largest chemical conference in the Asia-Pacific region is returning to the Hawaii Convention Center in 2015.

General Motors has found a new use for a building that's sat vacant at its Buffalo-area manufacturing complex for seven years.

A Purdue University agronomist says Indiana's winter wheat crop is healthy and on track despite wet weather at planting time last fall. Those wet fields have slightly reduced the state's wheat acreage, though.

An heir to the Guerlain perfume empire went on trial Thursday in Paris on charges he made racist insults on national television.