Decline of 2 cents is first drop in gas prices since February

The national average retail price of a gallon of gas fell about 2 cents the past two weeks, the first drop since prices began a steady climb in late February, according to the Lundberg survey released Sunday.

Self-serve regular averaged $2.93 a gallon, down from about $2.95 two weeks ago, said publisher Trilby Lundberg. The survey looks at roughly 7,000 gas stations.

The highest average price for regular unleaded was in San Diego at $3.40, the lowest in Wichita, Kan., at $2.59.

MasterCard

Debit cards to aid saving for college

Members of college-savings program Upromise will be able to use debit cards to boost their efforts.

MasterCard International is announcing today it has signed an agreement that will allow its member banks to issue debit cards linked to the Upromise program.

Members of Upromise earn rebates from retailer that are deposited into Section 529 college savings plans. Some 7 million people participate.

Under the plan, members of Upromise who register a MasterCard debit card issued by a participating financial institution will earn extra cash contributions by making eligible purchases with certain merchants.

The contribution will be the equivalent of 1 to 5 percent of the purchase price. The bonus will be in addition to the contribution funded by the Upromise merchant partner.

Navio Systems

More ways to get, use online content

A startup plans to launch an online commerce system Monday that would give people more options to get and use digital downloads, including games, songs and videos.

Cupertino, Calif.-based Navio Systems' software and service platform is sold to content providers like music or movie companies, allowing them to sell consumers the rights to an individual piece of content rather than the downloads, or digital files, themselves.

The product also allows companies to use a variety of online distribution points, from blogs to fan Web sites, and gives consumers access to downloads from all kinds of Web-connected devices, including PCs, mobile phones and media players.

So far, Navio's customers include Walt Disney Co.'s Internet Group, Atom Entertainment and Fox Sports Mobile.

VNU

Group touts success in bid for publisher

A group of private investors said Sunday its $9.7 billion bid for Dutch publishing company VNU, owner of Nielsen's Television Ratings, has succeeded.

The investors, who operate under the name Valcon Acquisition, said 78.7 percent of VNU investors had tendered their shares to the offer price of $37.15 per share.

VNU's fate has been uncertain since November, when Knight Vinke Asset Management and other mostly U.S. institutional shareholders blocked VNU's $6.8 billion bid to buy IMS Health, a show of strength unheard of in the Netherlands, where investors have no history of activism.

VNU, which has most of its business in the United States, does marketing research under the Nielsen brand name and publishes Billboard and Hollywood Reporter magazines.

Qatar Airways

Second thoughts about Airbus order

Qatar Airways may review a $10 billion deal with Airbus to buy A350 planes, after the European firm signaled plans to change the jet that could delay delivery, airline CEO Akbar Al-Baker said Sunday.

Qatar became Airbus's largest customer for A350s when it signed a letter of intent last year to buy 60 of the planes, which are being outsold by Boeing's 787.

Under pressure from airlines for a bolder new model, Airbus signaled last week it could make sweeping changes to the A350 to help it battle the 787. Analysts said an all-new design might mean an extra two years before deliveries, until 2012.

Qatar hopes to expand its fleet from 46 mostly Airbus aircraft to 115 early in the next decade.

Micron

Digital sensor to improve photos

Chip maker Micron Technology is unveiling a thumbnail-sized digital sensor that enables pocket-sized cameras and cellphones to capture bursts of 10 high-quality photos in a single second or even high-definition video.

Production of the new 8-megapixel digital image sensor is expected to begin early next year, the Boise-based company said.

Devices using the new chip should reach consumers by late 2007 and will feature high-speed, high-megapixel digital photography capabilities normally found in more expensive, single-lens reflex cameras. Micron did not identify any customers in its announcement.

Yahoo!

Redesign highlights search, e-mail

Yahoo! has redesigned its main Web page to make its search box more prominent and add a section with previews of e-mails.

The site features a section near the top of the page with weather information, maps and movie trailers. There is also more sports, entertainment and finance content, Yahoo! said.

The overhaul is the most significant change since the site started in 1994.

Compiled from Bloomberg News, Reuters and The Associated Press