Also

* The Federal Trade Commission is considering requiring Johnson & Johnson to license a key cardiac stent technology to Abbott Laboratories Inc. as a condition of approving its purchase of Guidant Corp., but the idea has drawn opposition from another rival, Medtronic Inc., a source said.

* Fitch Ratings lowered General Motors Corp.’s credit rating further into “junk” status, saying the automaker had made little progress in reducing its costs and is vulnerable if gasoline prices remain high.