Also . . .

* Salton Inc., maker of George Foreman grills and Timex clocks, said it is buying the Westclox, Big Ben and Spartus brands from bankrupt General Time Corp. for $9.8 million to become the largest U.S. clockmaker. Norcross, Ga.-based General Time, which filed for bankruptcy protection in June, had sales of $109 million last year, Salton said.

*

* Baxter International Inc., the biggest maker of blood therapies, agreed to buy a cancer business from German specialty chemical maker Degussa for about $470 million in cash. The unit, Asta Medica Onkologie, had about $130 million in sales last year, mainly from chemotherapy products. Baxter plans to take an undisclosed charge against fourth-quarter earnings for the transaction, which it expects will add to earnings starting next year.