"The Wall Street Journal" reports that Africa-Israel Investments Ltd. has reached a tentative debt settlement for the old New York Time Buildings, which it acquired in 2007. Africa-Israel's US unit Africa-Israel Investments Inc. bought the building on Times Square in Manhattan for $525 million and then added $715 million in debt on the property.

The economy is murky, creating a sense of uncertainty. But murky is a whole lot better than the free-fall the economy was heading into with the collapse of Lehman Brothers about a year ago, said Robert A. Dye, keynote speaker at the sixth annual economic symposium Monday. Dye is vice president and senior economist for PNC Financial Services Group.

The recession has left a large number of America's wealthy cautious about re-investing in the stock market and skeptical about a strong economic recovery, according to a survey by PNC Wealth Management, a member of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.. Although more than half, up from just 25 percent a year ago, are optimistic for the prospects of the stock market over the next six months, on...

The planned $140 million Hilton-Columbus Downtown convention hotel will start to rise above N. High Street next August, a project team told Franklin County commissioners this morning. "Another great project for Downtown," Commissioner John O'Grady said after seeing architectural drawings of the hotel, which include a towering glass atrium. Commissioners have pledged $8 million for the project.

The planned $140 million Hilton-Downtown Columbus convention hotel will start to rise above N. High Street next August, a project team told Franklin County commissioners this morning. "Another great project for Downtown," Commissioner John O'Grady said after seeing architectural drawings of the hotel, which include a towering glass atrium. Commissioners have pledged $8 million for the project.

The green-and-white logo of National City Bank branches in Wisconsin will give way to the blue-and-orange brand of PNC Bank next summer.

Bank of America Corp. for the second time this month has approached a high-ranking executive at a banking institution with deep Pittsburgh ties concerning the top job at the nation's largest bank, only to be turned down. The Wall Street Journal said a Bank of America recruiter approached William Demchak, PNC Financial Services Group Inc. senior vice chairman, about replacing Kenneth Lewis.

National City Bank offices in Dayton will convert to the PNC Bank nameplate in February 2010, Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc. said Monday, Nov. 16. Operations in Cincinnati and Columbus, as well as Kentucky and southeastern Indiana also will convert to PNC in February, the bank said.

Bank of America Corp., for the second time this month, has approached a high-ranking executive at a banking institution with deep Pittsburgh ties concerning the top job at the nation's largest bank, only to be turned down. The Wall Street Journal said a Bank of America recruiter approached PNC Financial Services Group Inc. Senior Vice Chairman William Demchak about replacing Kenneth Lewis.

The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. today announced it has successfully completed the conversion of 1.8 million customers and 240 branches from National City Bank to PNC Bank, with three additional conversion phases scheduled in early 2010. The first phase was comprised of customers throughout western Pennsylvania along with Youngstown, Ohio, and the state of Florida.