WHOLESALE PRICES ROSE JUST 0.2% IN SEPTEMB ER

TON» U.S. wholeW A S HI N G sale prices rose a mild 0.2 percent last month, held down by lower food and energy costs, suggesting that inflation remains in check despite the economy’s robust growth.

The Labor Department said Wednesday that its producer price index — which measures inflation before it reaches consumers — rose 2.6 percent compared with a year earlier, the smallest increase since January. Wholesale prices rose in September after two months of flat or declining readings.

DOJ approves $69B CVS HealthAetna merger, with conditions.

N EW

The proposed $69 YOR K billion merger between CVS Health and Aetna is getting a greenlight from the Department of Justice, with some conditions.

The Justice Department on Wednesday approved the deal on the condition that Aetna moves ahead with its plan to sell its Medicare Part D prescription drug plan business, resolving some antimonopoly issues.

Aetna announced last month it’d sell the business for an undisclosed amount.

California judge will order new trial in $289M Roundup award.

S AN

» A judge said in F R A N CI S C O a tentative ruling Wednesday that she would order a new trial in a $289 million judgment against agribusiness giant Monsanto brought by a school groundskeeper who says Roundup weedkiller caused his cancer.

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Suzanne Bolanos issued the ruling ahead of scheduled oral arguments Wednesday.

A jury in August awarded Johnson $39 million in compensatory damages and $250 million in punitive damages.

Bolanos’ tentative order applied to the $250 million award.

Google appeals $5 billion EU fine in Android antitrust case.

B RUSS E

Google is appealing a record $5 billion antitrust fine by European Union authorities, who say the tech giant abused the dominance of its Android operating system to stifle competitors.

A company spokesman, Al Verney, confirmed Wednesday that the company has filed its legal challenge with the General Court of the EU , the bloc’s second highest court.

The European Union’s Executive Commission issued the fine in July after it found Google forced smartphone makers using Android to install the company’s search and browser apps.

EU says Brexit deal ‘within reach’ but work remains.

B RUSS E

LS» TheEuropean Union’s chief Brexit negotiator said Wednesday that an agreement on Britain’s exit “is within reach,” if negotiations make progress before a summit next week.

Michel Barnier said that up to 85 percent of the work is done on the deal for the U.K’s departure and postBrexit relationship with the EU, but the issue of ensuring a trans parent border on the island of Ireland remains to be addressed.

He also warned that some British proposals for future trade, as they stood, would give the U.K. too much of a competitive trade advantage.

— Denver Post wire services