By Randolph Heaster, The Kansas City Star, Mo. Feb. 7--Most companies are scaling back their acquisition strategies as credit markets tighten and economic signs worsen. Australia's BlueScope Steel Ltd., however, doubled the size of its U.S. operations recently.

By Christina Salerno, The Modesto Bee, Calif. Jul. 3--A Texas-based company has acquired Vistawall Group, an aluminum manufacturer with a plant in Modesto. Oldcastle Glass of Plano, Texas, announced Monday that it bought Vistawall for $190 million.