Enquirer news services

WILMINGTON, Del. - Former Chrysler chief financial officer Gary Valade testified Monday that he didn't know why notes he took on the merger that produced DaimlerChrysler were not provided to attorneys for investor Kirk Kerkorian, who is suing the automaker over the deal.

The automaker also revealed it had found another document Sunday that it should have given Kerkorian's attorneys.

Kerkorian is suing DaimlerChrysler for more than $1 billion, claiming that Daimler-Benz falsely characterized a 1998 takeover of Chrysler as a merger. Kerkorian's Tracinda Corp. was the largest Chrysler shareholder at the time of the deal.

NYSE members want report made public

NEW YORK - Some of the New York Stock Exchange's seat holders are calling for public disclosure of a report the exchange plans to give its new board this week on how ex-chairman Dick Grasso became Wall Street's $187.5 million man.

The report may provide grounds for asking Grasso to repay some of his millions. It looks closely at what led the previous board to agree to Grasso's extraordinary employment contract.

Express Scripts to buy CuraScript for $335M

ST. LOUIS - Express Scripts Inc. has agreed to buy specialty pharmacy company CuraScript Pharmacy Inc. and CuraScript PBM Services Inc. for $335 million.

The pharmacy-benefits manager said Monday it expects the acquisition to add slightly to 2004 earnings per share and close during the first quarter upon regulatory approval.

Express Scripts, based in Maryland Heights, Mo., expects CuraScript to enhance its clinical services and improve drug therapy for clients and patients.

Treasury bill interest rates fall in auction

WASHINGTON - Interest rates on short-term Treasury securities fell in Monday's auction.

The Treasury Department sold $15 billion in three-month bills at a discount rate of 0.870 percent, down from 0.885 percent last week. An additional $14 billion was sold in six-month bills at a rate of 0.970 percent, down from 0.980 percent.

The three-month rate was the lowest since June 23's 0.815 percent. The six-month rate was the lowest since July 21, when the rate was 0.950 percent.

Dairy company leaders under investigation

ROME - Prosecutors looking into the crisis at Parmalat Finanziaria SpA placed the company's founder and 20 other officials under investigation Monday after the dairy company admitted to a multibillion-dollar hole in its balance sheet.

Milan prosecutors Francesco Greco and Eugenio Fusco told Italian news agencies that they "understood nearly everything," about the embattled company following an initial round of questioning of top executives and witnesses Monday.

The prosecutors, who are looking into possible fraud and other charges concerning the suspected falsification of company documents, placed company founder and former chief executive Calisto Tanzi as well as nearly 20 other officials under investigation, state-run RAI television and other major news agencies reported.