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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Company News: Boeing sees double-digit growth for two years

From Wire Reports The Spokesman-Review

Boeing Co. reaffirmed its outlook Wednesday for strong growth in 2007 and 2008, telling investors it remains on pace for double-digit increases in earnings and revenue as it rides momentum linked to the new 787 jet.

The upbeat assessment came at the aerospace company’s annual investor conference in Chicago at a time when Boeing is fast closing in on Airbus for the title of world’s leading commercial airplane maker.

Chief Executive Jim McNerney dismissed the notion of a tapering-off in orders for commercial jets amid sizzling sales of the 787, which has racked up 568 orders from at least 44 different customers even before the first model rolls off the assembly line.

“The U.S. and European legacy carriers have yet to order in any substantial quantities,” he said in a response to an analyst’s question at the meeting, which was Webcast. “So we don’t see an immediate end to the cycle.”

“Cell phones rub some of Nissan’s “intelligent keys” the wrong way, the automaker is warning car owners.

Complaints about some cell phones erasing Nissan’s I-keys for the 2007 Altima sedan and 2007 Infiniti G35 have the automaker advising customers to keep cell phones and the plastic fobs containing the starters “at least 1 inch apart at all times.”

A statement released Wednesday by Nissan North America Inc. says some cell phones, if allowed to touch the I-Key while sending or receiving a call, may alter it’s electronic code.

“When this happens the I-Key will not start the vehicle and cannot be reprogrammed,” the statement said.

Nissan said it is developing a modified I-Key to prevent the problem and will provide customers with the new keys in the early fall.

Hewlett-Packard Co. has settled federal securities charges alleging the company illegally concealed the reason a director resigned just before its boardroom spying scandal erupted.

The Securities and Exchange Commission and the Palo Alto-based technology giant separately announced the settlement Wednesday.

The SEC found that HP violated mandatory disclosure rules in the way it announced venture capitalist Tom Perkins’ May 2006 resignation from the board.

The agency filed settled administrative charges Wednesday.

The settlement does not include a fine or admission of guilt by HP, only an agreement by the company not to violate the SEC’s reporting requirements in the future.