Comcast hike

Comcast’s purchase of NBC Universal would add at least $2.4 billion to consumers’ pay-TV bills over nine years be cause the combined company would gain power to raise prices, a cable group said.

Studios talk

Lionsgate Entertain ment plans to meet with MGM in the next few days to present a pro posal to combine the two studios once MGM, emerges from bank ruptcy, two sources said yesterday.

Oracle case

Oracle’s CEO Larry El lison testified SAP AG might have paid $4 bil lion to license Oracle’s software and take several thousand customers from its PeopleSoft unit by having access to Or acle copyrights.

Amazon adds

Expanding its online retail empire, Ama zon.com is buying Quidsi, the owner of Dia pers.com and Soap.com, for $500 million in cash.

Gold up

Gold futures topped $1,400 for the first time amid uncertainty on the outcome of Group of 20 currency talks. The con tract, for December de livery, rose $5.50, or 0.4 percent to settle at $1,403.20 a troy ounce on the Nymex.