Boeing grabs $100B in orders at air show

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates » U.S.-based Boeing Co. dominated on the first day of the Dubai Airshow, netting $100 billion in orders at an event that showcased the spending power and aggressive expansion efforts of the Middle East’s Persian Gulf Arab carriers.

The 342 orders represented more than twice the value of those seen by European rival Airbus, which said it took 142 orders worth some $40 billion.

The massive commitments came from just four carriers in the tiny nations of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which are in a race to create more jobs for their own citizens and diversify their oil-dependent economies.

Forbes Media puts itself up for sale

Forbes Media, which publishes Forbes magazine and has been making an extensive push into digital media and native advertising, is up for sale, the company confirmed in an email to the staff Friday.

In the email, Mike Perlis, chief executive of Forbes Media and the first non-family member to run the 96-year-old business title, wrote, "We have received more than a few ‘over the transom’ indications of interest to buy Forbes Media." He added, "The frequency and serious nature of these overtures have brought us to a decision point. We’re organizing a process to test the waters regarding a sale of Forbes Media."

Perlis told employees that Forbes had hired Deutsche Bank to represent the company in the sale and that "we expect interest from numerous suitors."

Faults in Malibus prompt GM recall

DETROIT » General Motors is recalling nearly 60,000 Chevy Malibu midsize cars to fix window defrosters that may not work and power seat wiring that can catch fire.

The largest of the recalls covers more than 44,000 Mali­bus from the 2014 model year. GM says a computer that runs the ventilation system can revert to the previous setting even if a driver sets the controls to defrost. If that happens, the drivers won’t be able to clear the windshield to see where they’re going. The problem happens when the cars are started.

GM dealers will reprogram the computer at no cost to customers. The company says it doesn’t know of any crashes or injuries from the problem.

The recall includes 42,696 Malibus in the U.S.

McDonald’s testing concept of ‘build your own burger’

NEW YORK » McDonald’s is looking to give people a little more wiggle room to customize their orders, as they can at chains such as Chipotle, Five Guys and Subway.

The world’s biggest hamburger chain says it’s testing a "build-your-own burger" concept in Laguna Niguel, Calif., that lets customers pick from a variety of toppings. Its new Dollar Menu and More also features five sandwiches with different sauces and toppings. And the topic of customization came up at the company’s daylong presentation for investors on Thursday.

"Customization represents another important opportunity for our business," said Kevin Newell, chief brand and strategy officer for the U.S.

In particular, Newell noted that McDonald’s is equipping its kitchens with new "assembly tables" that can accommodate more ingredients. He said the tables will also help improve the speed of service, which has become an issue for McDonald’s as it has expanded its menu.

The remarks came as McDonald’s Corp., which has more than 14,000 U.S. locations, struggles to boost sales amid heightened competition and shifting eating habits. Meanwhile, the popularity of Chipotle has spurred similar concepts where customers can walk down a line dictating the ingredients they want on their orders. Five Guys Burgers and Fries is based on a made-to-order format, which allows people to customize their burgers with toppings such as grilled mushrooms and jalapeño peppers.

McDonald’s clearly understands the attraction of customization, particularly for those in their 20s and 30s. As for the "build-your-own burger" test, the company says it’s too soon to tell whether the concept would be rolled out nationally. But a similar test took place in Romeoville, Ill., last month.

"These tests represent just one aspect of our broader menu innovation," Lisa McComb, a spokeswoman for McDonald’s, said in an emailed statement.

Just how far McDonald’s can go in offering customization remains to be seen. Richard Adams, who runs a consulting firm for McDonald’s franchisees, said that speed is the bigger issue for the chain.

Total recall

About 14,000 Step2 Whisper Ride Touring Wagons, which is a two-seat plastic wagon, are being recalled. The Step2 logo appears on the canopy and on the side of the wagon base. They were sold at Toys R Us stores nationwide and online at ToysRUs.com from February to August 2013. The removable blue seat backs can detach and pose a risk that the child would fall out of the wagon and get hurt. Call Step2 at 866-860-1887 or visit the firm’s website at www.step2.com and click on "Product Recall."

Ship ahoy!

Today’s ship arrivals and departures:

Coming up

» Today: National Association of Home Builders releases housing market index for November.

» Tuesday: Labor Department releases the third-quarter employment cost index. Best Buy Corp. reports quarterly results.

» Wednesday: Commerce Department releases retail sales data for October and business inventories for September.

» Thursday: Conference Board releases leading indicators for October.

» Friday: Labor Department releases job openings and labor turnover survey for September.

Student stock pickers