Sorenson gets

accreditation

Sorenson Genomics of Salt Lake City, whose labs offer molecular diagnostics and forensic DNA analysis, has received accreditation from the College of American Pathologists. CAP is the world's largest association composed exclusively of board-certified pathologists and is a leader in lab quality assurance.

U.S. construction

spending up

A strong gain in homebuilding pushed U.S. construction spending up for a third straight month. Spending rose 0.4 percent in June after an upwardly revised 1.6 percent gain in May that was the biggest since December.

Burger King

2Q profits leap

Burger King Worldwide reported its second-quarter net income jumped 60 percent as it concentrated on broadening its menu and expanding internationally. Net income was $48.2 million, or 14 cents per share, up from $30.2 million a year ago. Revenue dropped 9 percent.

Facebook shares

hit new low

Another day, another all-time low for Facebook's stock. The stock lost 83 cents, or 3.8 percent, to close Wednesday at $20.88. It is 45 percent below its initial public offering price of $38. Shares briefly hit $20.84 during the day. The previous low was $21.61, reached Tuesday.

Google delays

Nexus Q launch

Google says it is delaying the Nexus Q, a home entertainment device that was due to come out in July. To make up for the delay, it is sending the gadget free to everyone who pre-ordered it. Google is not saying when the $299 device, a small box that can stream music and movies over Internet connections, will be available.

Gulf airlines

forge pacts

The Persian Gulf's three big airlines are forging cross-border partnerships to extend their reach deeper into international markets. Etihad and Aer Lingus announced a codeshare deal designed to feed traffic into one another's networks. Australia's Qantas is in talks with Dubai-based Emirates, and Qatar Airways wants to launch a carrier to serve Saudi Arabia's market.

Ford, GM lose

ground to rivals

General Motors and Ford lost ground to Japanese automakers last month as their rivals made a strong comeback from last year's earthquake. GM's sales fell 6 percent from a year earlier, while Ford's slipped 4 percent. Honda sales leaped 45 percent and Toyota's 26 percent. Chrysler notched its best July in five years.

Funds for drilling

research drys up

Is gas drilling ruining the air, polluting water and making people sick? The evidence is sketchy and inconclusive, but a lack of state and federal funding is delaying efforts to resolve those questions and creating a vacuum that could lead to a crush of lawsuits, some experts say.