US Representative and Senate candidate Ed Markey Wednesday introduced a new version of bill to combat seafood fraud by tracking fish from a boat to a diner’s plate. Markey amended earlier legislation he filed in July to reflect input from federal agencies, fishermen, consumer and conservation groups. The new bill will require information already collected by fishermen, such as species name, catch location, and harvest method, to be made available to consumers and requires imported fish to have equivalent documentation. FRAMINGHAM — Staples’ fiscal fourth-quarter net income dropped 72 percent, dragged down by charges related to store closings and other matters. Its adjusted results topped Wall Street’s view, but its forecast for this year was below analysts’ estimates. The office products company also announced Wednesday that it is increasing its quarterly dividend by 9 percent. Staples Inc. has launched a strategic plan that includes investing more in its online and mobile efforts and expanding the product assortment that it offers to its business customers. Ocean Spray, an agricultural cooperative based in Lakeville and Middleborough, said Wednesday that it has signed a licensing agreement with Lyons Magnus, a California company that develops and markets fruit, beverage, and chocolate products to food-service customers. Under the agreement, Ocean Spray will provide Lyons Magnus with cranberry juice concentrate and use of the Ocean Spray brand. Lyons Magnus, in turn, will manufacture Ocean Spray branded juices for use in their dispensed beverage machines and market them through its food-service infrastructure. Fidelity Investments, a Boston-based financial services company, expressed cautious optimism about the US stock market continuing its strong performance. In a new “thought leadership report” titled, “Can the Sweet Spot for Stocks Continue?” the take-away seems to be, “Maybe --- but don’t forget about risk.” Economic momentum, monetary stimulus, technical conditions, and investor sentiment “have converged to create a sweet spot for US stocks,” Fidelity says. But risks continue to loom. China’s overheating credit boom and spread product liquidity are among factors that investors should be keeping an eye on. Comcast Corp. said it is trying to do its bit to help bridge the digital divide that separates rich and poor American children when it comes to Internet access. To address that divide, Philadelphia-based Comcast debuted what it calls its Internet Essentials program just over a year ago. The program provides free digital literacy training, access to Internet service at a guaranteed price of $9.95 per month, and the opportunity for families to buy a computer for less than $150. The market rate for this service is $29.95 per month. Actifio, a Waltham-based data storage company, said Wednesday that it has closed a $50 million investment round led by Technology Crossover Ventures, with participation from existing investors Andreessen Horowitz, ATV, Greylock Israel, and North Bridge Venture Partners. According to Actifio, its copy data storage platform lets businesses recover anything instantly, for up to 90 percent less cost than services operated by competitors. Bedford’s iRobot Corp. said Wednesday that Christian Cerda has joined the company to lead its home robot business unit. The company makes several kinds of robots. Its military robots can scout battlefields and detect explosive devices without putting soldiers in harm’s way. But as the Pentagon cuts spending, iRobot is looking to put more emphasis on robots it designs to perform household chores such as vacuuming or washing floors. |  | |
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