Judge Slaps VW With $2.8 Billion Criminal Fine in Emissions Fraud 
 

Volkswagen was ordered to pay a $2.8 billion criminal fine for rigging diesel-powered vehicles to cheat on government emissions tests, formalizing a punishment the German auto giant agreed to earlier this year in an unprecedented plea deal with U.S. prosecutors.

 
GE, Still Weighed by Energy, Boosts Profit Amid Cost Cutting Plan 
 

GE's first quarter showed strength driven by its core industrial businesses as its oil and gas segment continued to drag on results.

 
Wells Fargo Expands Class-Action Settlement to Cases From 2002 
 

Wells Fargo expanded a tentative customer agreement, now offering compensation to consumers hurt by the bank's sales practices as early as May 2002.

 
Visa Faces Ohio Attorney General Probe Over Its Debit Cards 
 

Visa's debit-card practices are under new scrutiny from the Ohio attorney general's office, including the company's rules related to the acceptance of its debit cards.

 
Musk Lays Out Plans to Meld Brains and Computers 
 

Elon Musk confirmed plans for his newest company, Neuralink, revealing he will be CEO of the startup that aims to merge computers with brains so humans could one day engage in "consensual telepathy."

 
Auto Makers Gear Up to Build Electric Cars in China 
 

Despite concerns about market demand, Volkswagen, General Motors and Toyota have set out plans for electric-car production in China at the Auto Shanghai vehicle expo.

 
Goldman Goes Beyond Annual Review With Real-Time Employee Ratings 
 

Goldman Sachs is rolling out a new review system where employees can get ongoing feedback from their managers and peers, as the Wall Street firm seeks to supplement its annual review process with more frequent check-ins.

 
Retailer Bebe Plans to Close All Remaining Stores 
 

Bebe Stores Inc. has joined the parade of retailers shedding its brick-and-mortar operations as consumers shift their spending online.

 
Political Path Narrows for Exxon Deal With Russian Firm 
 

Bipartisan political opposition is taking shape to the request by Exxon Mobil Corp. for a waiver from U.S. sanctions to allow it to drill with Russian state-oil giant PAO Rosneft in the Black Sea.

 
Airlines Bolster First Class, Skimp on Economy 
 

Big airlines are sharply cutting back fares or amenities for their lowest-paying customers, while pulling out the stops for more perks for their premium fliers.

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

April 21, 2017 13:15 ET (17:15 GMT)