Crew concern

Preppie retailer J. Crew is concerned that shareholders may reject its $3 billion buyout and held last- minute meet ings to persuade large, institutional investors to vote in favor of the deal today, Bloomberg News reported.

Tight wallets

Consumer spending increased by a less-than- expected 0.2 percent in January, the Commerce Dept. reported.

Mickey speaks

Disney Co., with a $9.2 million claim for mer chandise shipped to Blockbuster, filed an ob jection to the proposed auction of the bankrupt movie-rental chain.

Behind bars

Former Societe Gener ale trader Samarth Agrawal was sentenced to three years in prison after he was found guilty in November of stealing the bank’s high-speed trading software.

Sotheby’s up

Auction house Sothe by’s said its fourth-quar ter profit increased 31 percent as art sales con tinued to recover with financial markets. Its shares closed up 2 per cent to $49.22.