News wrap: EMC, Amazon, eBay, Bill Clinton

Storage vendor EMC has axed about three per cent of its 24,000-strong global workforce, but said the move was not related to the deteriorating economic climate.

The cuts were the result of annual reviews by management to shed staff that the company no longer needed. EMC said that, unlike other IT vendors, it did not expect a slowdown in sales over the coming months and plans to employ a further 7000 staff by the end of the year.

Amazon gets into downloads

Amazon.com has launched a software download service as part of its bid to become a profitable business by the end of the year. For a purchase fee, Amazon will offer customers downloads of software including antivirus tools from Symantec and McAfee, and tax preparation products from Quicken.

As part of the programme, customers will receive emails with links or URLs to websites where they can download the software.

eBay in French acquisition rumour

US online auctioneer eBay is reported to be in talks to acquire rival iBazar Group of France in a stock swap deal worth $92m. If successful, the combined force would be a strong competitor to Europe's leading online auctioneer, QXL Ricardo.

Established in 1998, iBazar has subscribers in France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands and Sweden.

Oracle gives Clinton new job

Oracle has given former US president Bill Clinton a job as a keynote speaker at next week's Oracle AppsWorld Conference in New Orleans. The four-day jamboree will also feature speakers such as Marc Andreessen, founder of US web hosting firm Loudcloud, and John Chambers, chief executive of Cisco.