Finance briefs

Yahoo unveils free software

SUNNYVALE “”mdash; Internet giant Yahoo Inc. is offering to help
consumers and office workers sift through the digital mishmash
stored on their computers with a free software product to be
introduced Tuesday.

The new product, developed as part of a licensing agreement with
a startup called X1 Technologies, follows through on a plan Yahoo
announced a month ago.

Several other smaller companies, including Pasadena-based X1,
are also offering products designed to make it as quick and easy to
find digital information offline, as it has become online.

Genentech profit surges, but misses

SAN JOSE “”mdash; Biotechnology titan, Genentech Inc., reported a
63 percent surge in its fourth-quarter profits on strong sales of a
string of new drugs, but the results Monday still missed Wall
Street’s forecast.

Meanwhile, sales of Genentech’s two established cancer
drugs, continued to perform well, company officials said.

With reports from Bruin wire services.