In a sign that the planned construction of new nuclear reactors in the U.S. market could jump-start the nation’s moribund manufacturing sector, France’s Areva SA and defense-industry giant Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) have formed a joint venture to make nuclear reactor vessels, steam generators and other related components at Northrop’s Newport News shipyard in Virginia.

William Patalon III says Boeing (NYSE:BA) faces a difficult period of negotiations to end a machinist strike that could last more than a month. With Wall Street estimating daily losses of $100 million in sales, this could seriously damage the company’s finances.

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The Boeing Co. (BA) doesn’t believe it can win the controversial competition for a $35 billion U.S Air Force tanker contract without a six-month extension, and now has threatened to pull out of the competition altogether.

The Chicago-based Boeing said it wants the extension to incorporate what the aerospace giant contends are essentially new requirements calling for a bigger tanker with a larger fuel-carrying capacity. The Pentagon has told the bidders it will grant two months for the bidders to assemble and submit their new proposals, a Boeing official told the Atlanta Business Chronicle.

The Boeing Co. (BA) got some hard won good news yesterday (Wednesday) when Secretary of Defense Robert Gates announced the U.S. Air Force would reopen bidding on a disputed $35 billion contract based on findings of the Government Accountability Office.

Just one day after arch-rival Airbus SAS was forced to raise prices because of a weak dollar, The Boeing Co. (BA) said yesterday (Wednesday) that its first-quarter profits soared 38%, easily eclipsing Wall Street expectations.