Hong Kong Exchanges & Clearing, which bought London Metal Exchange last year, has appointed Garry Jones as chief executive of the U.K.-based bourse. Indian companies such as Whirlpool of India say they can't plan more than a couple of months out as a fast-falling rupee currency drives up the cost of imports, forcing them to raise prices even as consumer spending crumbles. The U.S. government wants to wait until March for a trial on its lawsuit aimed at blocking the merger of American Airlines and US Airways, a deal that would create the world's biggest airline. The airlines want to start the trial in November. They had hoped to close the merger next month, but that was before the U.S. Justice Department and six states filed the antitrust case two weeks ago.