Northwest Airlines (NWA) departed bankruptcy protection Thursday, capping a 20-month reorganization of the nation’s fifth-largest carrier. Northwest shares began trading on the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday morning, with CEO Doug Steenland and other employees ringing the opening bell, marking the end of a wave of airline bankruptcies that began after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks.

EXXON MOBIL

Exxon Mobil Corp. (XOM) reiterated its position that creating far-reaching policies to reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions is important but premature, despite criticism from environmentally minded shareholders. Chief Executive Rex Tillerson continued to insist the prudent strategy was to focus on finding and producing new supplies of crude oil and natural gas.

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