The board of directors at Ford Motor Co is keen to know the immediate career plans of its chief executive officer, Alan Mulally, as speculation about the latter being the next head of Microsoft intensifies.

The earnings of Men's Wearhouse Inc for the fiscal third had beaten analysts' estimates, driven by an increase in sales. The retailer turned the tables on Jos. A. Bank Clothiers with its own buyout offer after rejecting the smaller rival's earlier bid.

Chicago steak and seafood supplier Allen Brothers has been sold to publicly-traded specialty food products distributor Chefs' Warehouse Inc. for $29.9 million. Under the deal, Chefs' Warehouse will be paying $20 million in cash and $9.9 million in debt.

A group headed by Dallas investor Tom Hicks has bought Dallas-based automotive services chain Just Brakes for an undisclosed sum, with plans to improve and expand the said business.

A South Korean court awarded Apple a legal victory on a patent infringement case filed by Samsung Electronics Co. The decision would enable Apple to continue selling its products in South Korea, Reuters said in its report.

Austin-based mobile app maker Apptive announced it has secured $1 million in funding to fuel the expansion of its partnerships with online merchants and e-commerce platforms.

Independent registered investment adviser Savant Capital Management has reportedly agreed to take over Paragon Advisors for an undisclosed sum. The acquisition will reportedly bolster Savant's assets under management to $3.7 billion.

JPMorgan Chase & Co predicts a rise in the value of M&A deals to 30% it expects to handle in Asia next year, according to a Bloomberg report.

Ottawa, Canada-based e-commerce company Shopify has raised $100 million in a Series C funding round to help it transition to a commerce company that reaches the online and offline market.

Switzerland's biggest bank, UBS AG, will be entering the property market in Australia through a joint venture with local developer Grocon Pty, a Bloomberg report said.