Sara Lee Corp. said Tuesday it has appointed Anne Teague as chief information officer, effective immediately.

Despite the fanfare over the criminal probe of one of the largest product recalls ever, no one has yet been charged in the salmonella outbreak caused by contaminated peanuts.

At the height of the nationwide salmonella outbreak nearly a year ago, FBI agents raided two peanut plants and carried away boxes of evidence. FDA inspectors found roaches, mold and a leaky roof. Then, Congress revealed e-mails from the peanut company's top executive that seemed to suggest the pursuit of profits over ensuring public safety.

Among the earnings stories for Thursday, Nov. 5, from AP Financial News:

The recession has had a major impact on how consumers shop but also how retailers draw them in and a major factor has been price. Food companies and grocers have tried to compete with lower prices, which has been complicated by massive fluctuations in the commodity prices for the ingredients that go into food. Striking the right balance of pricing for sales versus hurting revenue has been a struggle for the food makers and retailers. Sara Lee Corp. Chairman and CEO Brenda Barnes discusses the issue with investors on a conference call Thursday:

By Brad Dorfman

Sara Lee Corp., with leaner operations and more profitable product line, reported that its first-quarter profit jumped 23 percent and raised its outlook for the year.

What follows is a roundup of corporate earnings reports for Thursday, Nov. 5.

Sara Lee Corp. reports earnings for its fiscal first quarter on Thursday before the market opens. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

Unilever NV, the maker of consumer products such as Dove soaps and Ben & Jerry's ice cream, reports earnings for its third quarter before the market opens Thursday. The following is a summary of key developments and analyst opinion related to the period.

Stocks pared their gains Wednesday after the Fed said the economy was improving and it planned to gradually slow the pace of Treasury buying.

Stocks pared their gains Wednesday after the Fed said the economy was improving and it planned to gradually slow the pace of Treasury buying.

Stocks advanced Wednesday as investors got some much-needed good news on the economy, including a report that showed existing-home sales — and home prices — have started to rise.

Sara Lee says it posted a smaller fiscal fourth-quarter loss as impairment charges declined from a year ago.

Futures indicated a slightly higher open for the U.S. stock market Wednesday, following the previous day's losses of roughly 1 percent, ahead of the Federal Reserve policymakers' issuance of their latest economic pronouncements at about 2:15 p.m. New York time.