Ideas

The U.S. economy grew much faster in the third quarter than originally reported, as the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) was revised to 2.7 percent from the original estimate of 2.0 percent, according to the U.S. Commerce Department.

Milwaukee-based ARI Network Services Inc. announced it has completed the acquisition of the retail division assets of 50 Below Sales & Marketing Inc. of Duluth, Minn.

Waukesha-based MetalTek International has acquired Lakeland, Fla.-based industrial metal fabrication and machining company Specialty Maintenance and Construction Inc.

U.S. HealthWorks, one of the largest operators of occupational health care centers in the United States, announced it has acquired four health care centers and two worksites from Sensia Healthcare in Wisconsin.

Milwaukee-based mortgage insurer MGIC Investment Corporation will pay $267.5 million to Freddie Mac under a settlement to the pool insurance dispute between the companies and the Federal Housing Finance Agency.

Tickets to Harley-Davidson Inc.'s 110th anniversary celebration will go on sale this month.

Waukesha-based Generac Holdings Inc. announced that due to market conditions, the secondary offering of shares of the company's common stock by certain selling stockholders is being withdrawn from the marketplace.

Milwaukee-based Lubar & Co. announced it has acquired Marinette-based ChemDesign Inc.

Fiat Industrial S.p.A. and CNH Global N.V. announced they have entered into a definitive merger agreement to combine the businesses of Fiat Industrial and CNH, creating a new company that so far is being called NewCo.

New Glarus Brewing co-founder and president Deborah Carey was among a group of small business owners who met with President Barack Obama on Wednesday in the White House, where she praised Obama for his work on health care and urged him to consider higher taxes for investors.