Ticker, June 24

A published report says federal regulators are preparing to issuesubpoenas to Google and other companies as authorities gatherinformation for a broad antitrust probe into the Internet searchleader's business practices. The Wall Street Journal reportedThursday that the Federal Trade Commission will issue subpoenas"within days," which would signal that it has opened a formalinvestigation. The FTC is looking into whether Google abuses itsdominance of Internet search to extend its influence into otherlucrative online markets, such as mapping, comparison shopping andtravel. Rivals complain that Google Inc., which handles two out ofevery three Internet searches in the U.S., manipulates its resultsto steer users to its own sites and services and bury links tocompetitors. Google and the Federal Trade Commission refused tocomment Thursday. The European Commission and the Texas attorneygeneral have already opened investigations into whether Google usesits enormous clout as a major gateway to the Internet to stiflecompetition online.

A federal agency said Thursday it will spend an extra weekreviewing Eastman Kodak Co.'s potentially lucrative patent claimagainst tech giants Apple Inc. and Research in Motion Ltd. The U.S.International Trade Commission, which oversees trade disputes, hadbeen expected to issue a ruling Thursday but put off completing itsinvestigation until June 30. It gave no further explanation. Afavorable ruling for Kodak could force the smartphone giants intolicensing deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Rochester-based Kodak filed suit in January 2010. Its 2001 image-previewpatent, it contends, was infringed by iPhone behemoth Apple, ofCupertino, and Canada-based Research in Motion, maker of theBlackBerry. It is trying to negotiate a licensing deal that CEOAntonio Perez estimates could be worth up to $1 billion.

The Internal Revenue Service is increasing the tax deductionmotorists can take for using private vehicles for business, a raremidyear move sparked by high gas prices. Starting July 1, motoristswho use their personal vehicles for business will be able to deduct551/2 cents a mile from theirtaxable income, the agency announced Thursday. That's an increase of41/2 cents from the first sixmonths of the year. The rate is also used as a benchmark by thefederal government and many businesses to reimburse their employeesfor mileage. Workers who receive the reimbursement don't have toreport it as income, as long as the payments don't exceed the IRSbenchmark. High gas prices have hit consumers, slowed the economicrecovery and put increased political pressure on President BarackObama.

Harry Potter battled the forces of evil and now is set to conquerthe web - coming to e-books in a groundbreaking deal that hasdelighted fans but alarmed the book industry that helped makecreator J.K. Rowling a billionaire. Rowling announced Thursday thather seven novels about the boy wizard will be sold for the firsttime as e-books, beginning in October, exclusively through a newonline portal to her wizarding world called "Pottermore." The dealbrings longtime e-book refusnik Rowling into the digital fold, butcomes as a bitter potion to established booksellers, who will beshut out of the latest chapter of a vastly profitable saga. ThePotter novels will be available as audiobooks and e-books inmultiple languages, initially including English, French, German,Italian, Spanish and Japanese. Prices have yet to be set.

States cannot stop drug manufacturers and data-mining companiesfrom using information about the prescription drugs individualdoctors like to prescribe, the Supreme Court ruled Thursday. Thecourt voted 6-3 to strike down a Vermont data-mining law aimed atcontrolling health care costs by boosting the use of generic drugs.The ruling imperils similar laws in Maine and New Hampshire thatseek to control the flow of information about brand-namemedications.

The Associated Press