GM FIRES Global Marketing Chief and 3 Morning Hot Stocks Demanding Attention

Rumors that Starbucks (NASDAQ:SBUX) may launch a competing $80 bid keep shares of Peet’s Coffee (NASDAQ:PEET) above the $73.50 offered by German investor Benckiser.

At-home agent provider Alpine Access is acquired by call-center operator Sykes Enterprises (NASDAQ:SYKE) in cash deal worth $150 million; on the other hand the company cites uneven demand and macro-economic issues as the reason for lowering its full year forecast.

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ABB (NYSE:ABB), which has been growing its rail business at 30 percent annually, has entered into a deal to acquire the rail vehicle power business of Italy-based RGM S.p.A. Though the financial details were not disclosed, RGM is Italy’s largest supplier of auxiliary converters on board various kinds of rolling stock and employs 68 workers.

GM (NYSE:GM) fired its global marketing chief Joel Ewanick apparently because he didn’t satisfactorily report  a recent sponsorship deal between GM, Chevrolet and Manchester United, the world’s most popular soccer club. GM spokesman Greg Martin said, “He failed to meet the expectations that the company has for its employees.” Alan Batey, the head of U.S. sales and service, will take over Ewanick’s responsibilities. Ewanick had spent just two years with the company and recently pulled GM’s advertising from Facebook.

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