Business Beat for Thursday, Nov. 6, 2014

Beef or chicken? Beef prices hit fast-food chains

Rising beef prices might not mean the cost of a Whopper is going to skyrocket, but it could mean you’ll be encouraged to order a chicken sandwich.

Home Depot: 53M email addresses stolen by hackers

The Home Depot Inc. says hackers stole 53 million email addresses in addition to the payment card data it previously disclosed.

Bubbles, army men, Rubik’s Cube added to Toy Hall of Fame

Bubbles, little green army men and the Rubik’s Cube are the 2014 inductees to The Strong’s National Toy Hall of Fame.

2 Chicago-area companies make Global Innovators list

Abbott Laboratories and Boeing Co. made the new Thomson Reuters Top 100 Global Innovators report.

Navistar COO retires; leadership retooled

Navistar Inc.’s chief operating officer retired Thursday and the maker of trucks and engines announced a restructuring of its leadership team.

ADM names new chief executive

Archer Daniels Midland Co. announced Thursday that Juan R. Luciano will become chief executive officer of the agribusiness giant on Jan. 1.

Illinois employers planning 900 layoffs

Aramark, Kmart and Mount Zion Flat Glass account for two-thirds of the planned layoffs.

Bank of America taking $400M litigation charge

Bank of America says it is taking a $400 million charge to cover additional litigation costs and cut its results for the third quarter.

Dow, S&P 500 edge further into record territory

The U.S. stock market edged further into record territory Thursday as traders were encouraged by the latest corporate earnings.

Canceled flights rising, airlines blame Aurora fire

Flight delays and cancelations rose in September, with some of the disruption caused by a fire that shut down an air traffic control center in Aurora.

Get ready for crowded airports this Thanksgiving

U.S. airlines expect to carry 24.6 million passengers over the 12 days surrounding Thanksgiving, up 1.5 percent from last year.

Microsoft releases Office apps for iPhones, iPads

The beefed-up versions of its popular Office software apps for iPhones and iPads is part of a push to stay relevant in an increasingly mobile world.

Amazon introduces voice-recognition service

Amazon is introducing a voice-recognition service called Amazon Echo that comes with a speaker-like wireless device.

Orbitz shares sink on disappointing quarter

Shares of Chicago-based Orbitz Worldwide Inc. sank Thursday after the online travel company reported a disappointing third quarter.

Facebook launches Ebola charity donation button

Facebook is adding a button designed to make it easier for its users to donate to charities battling the Ebola.

Postal Service adds Sunday delivery for holidays

The U.S. Postal Service will deliver packages on Sundays in major cities and high volume areas during the holiday season.

Hospira’s profit beats estimates on higher pricing, sales

The Lake Forest drugmaker’s quarterly profit handily beat estimates as the company raised prices and sold more of its injectables. [Reuters]

US productivity rises at 2 percent rate in 3Q

U.S. workers’ productivity increased in the July-September period but at a slower pace than in the previous quarter.

CBS News launches digital streaming news network

The ad-supported network, called CBSN, launched Thursday and is available around the clock on Internet-connected TVs, mobile phones and other devices.

Molson Coors reports 3Q loss

The Denver-based company said its earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1.46 per share. Analysts were expecting $1.50 a share.

Perrigo to buy Omega Pharma for $3.1 billion

Perrigo expands its reach into Europe through a $3.1 billion acquisition of one of the continent’s biggest suppliers of non-prescription medicines.

Takata’s annual loss to widen over more recalls

Air bag maker Takata Corp. is taking more special losses for new recalls and will sink deeper into the red.

Athletico bulks up with Accelerated Rehab deal

Athletico is acquiring a larger local rival, Accelerated Rehabilitation Centers, creating a chain with more than 330 locations. [Crain’s]

Unemployment applications fall to 278,000

Fewer people applied for U.S. unemployment benefits last week, a sign that the job market should continue to improve.