General Motors Corp. is planning to slash another 10,000 salaried jobs worldwide this year, saying the cuts are unavoidable with a government restructuring deadline looming and industrywide sales in one of the worst downturns in history.

The Detroit-based automaker said Tuesday it will reduce its total number of white-collar workers by 14 percent to 63,000. About 3,400, or 12 percent, of GM’s 29,500 salaried U.S. jobs will be eliminated.

Most of the company’s remaining salaried employees will have their wages cut.

Los Angeles

Ticketmaster plans Live Nation merger

Concert promoter Live Nation Inc. and ticketing giant Ticketmaster Entertainment Inc. confirmed their merger plans Tuesday and got right to work addressing antitrust concerns that have taken center stage.

Ticketmaster Chairman Barry Diller, to be chairman of the new company – which would be called Live Nation Entertainment – sought to dispel the notion that the deal would lead to higher ticket prices.

“Ticketmaster does not set prices. Live Nation does not set ticket prices. Artists set the prices,” he said, without mentioning the ticket surcharges Ticketmaster relies on for much of its revenue.

San Francisco

Intel pursuing big upgrade investment

Intel Corp. plans to spend $7 billion upgrading its U.S. factories over the next two years, a sign that the recession hasn’t extinguished chip makers’ lust for cutting-edge equipment.

The company’s investment was announced Tuesday by Intel CEO Paul Otellini at a speech in Washington.

Intel said the $7 billion will pay for new machinery at factories in Oregon, Arizona and New Mexico, which will be outfitted to produce chips based on 32-nanometer technology.

But Intel’s investment doesn’t necessarily mean lots of new jobs will be created.

The money will pay the salaries of about 7,000 “high-wage, high-skill” jobs that already exist at those plants.