(Reuters) - Genzyme Corp (GENZ.O) has met the first in a series of deadlines imposed by U.S. regulators for fixing problems at its Boston plant, a milestone that could bolster the biotech company's argument that it is worth more than the $18.5 billion being offered by French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis SA (SASY.PA). Genzyme had been given until November 28 to move certain vial-filling and finishing operations out of the plant, which was temporarily closed last year due to a viral contamination.

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(Reuters) - General Motors Co (GM.N) plans to invest $163 million at plants in Michigan and Ohio to add engine production for the Chevrolet Cruze, the Chevy Volt and an unnamed new small car, the automaker said on Wednesday. GM said the planned investments would protect 184 jobs at the facilities, which include an engine plant in Flint, Michigan; a components plant in Bay City, Michigan; and a casting plant in Defiance, Ohio.

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(Reuters) - New U.S. claims for unemployment benefits last week dropped to their lowest level in more than two years while consumer spending rose in October, pointing to a moderate strengthening in economic activity. The improving economic picture was also brightened by news that consumer sentiment perked up this month to its highest level since June.

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(Reuters) - U.S. consumer sentiment rose to its highest level since June on tentative signs of improved job conditions and early discounts from retailers, a survey showed on Friday. The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's final November reading on the overall index on consumer sentiment was 71.6, up from 67.7 in October and also above November's preliminary reading of 69.3.

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(Reuters) - Deere & Co said (DE.N) environmental regulations and higher costs could make 2011 a tricky year, and offered a profit forecast that missed Street expectations, sending shares lower in premarket trading. The world's largest maker of farm equipment released its outlook on Wednesday along with a fiscal fourth-quarter profit that beat Wall Street expectations on sales of its tractors and harvesters in North America and other markets. Those sales offset poor demand in Europe.

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(Reuters) - A record $1.3 billion fine slapped on SAP for downloading rival Oracle's software has tarnished the German software maker's reputation and is set to undermine its sales and profitability in the United States. "Even though SAP may appeal the judgment, the huge amount should be negative for the stock price and, will weaken SAP's position in the U.S.," said Jacques Abramowicz, analyst at Silvia Quandt research.

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(Reuters) - Luxury jeweler Tiffany & Co (TIF.N) posted quarterly results that beat Wall Street forecasts and indicated its holiday results would also top expectations on overseas demand and a rebound in the U.S. market. Tiffany, whose shares rose 3.6 percent in premarket trading, is seeing its aggressive overseas expansion pay off. The jeweler now gets slightly more that half of its sales outside the United States and sales in Asia, excluding Japan, rose 20 percent in the third quarter.

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(Reuters) - New orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods unexpectedly fell in October to post their largest decline in nearly two years and business capital spending plans dropped, according to a government report on Wednesday that pointed to a slowdown in factory activity. The Commerce Department said durable goods orders tumbled 3.3 percent, the largest decline since January 2009, after surging by a revised 5 percent. Economists had expected orders to be flat in October after a previously reported 3.5 percent jump.

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(Reuters) - The trustee liquidating Bernard Madoff's investment firm has sued UBS AG and other entities for more than $2 billion, accusing them of collaborating in Madoff's massive Ponzi scheme. The Swiss bank was accused of actively assisting Madoff's fraud by sponsoring international feeder funds that sent client money to the swindler, lending "an aura of legitimacy" to their activities.

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(Reuters) - Ireland's government unveiled a 15 billion euro ($20 billion) four-year austerity plan on Wednesday that foresees deep spending cuts and tax increases to help pay for a catastrophic bank crisis and meet the terms of an EU/IMF rescue. The plan includes thousands of public sector job cuts, phased-in increases in Ireland's value-added tax (VAT) rate from 2013 and social welfare savings of 2.8 billion euros by 2014, but does not touch the country's ultra-low corporate tax rate.

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