Securities

P&G Can't Claim Racketeering Against Bankers Trust in Suit: The Cincinnati-based consumer products giant will be blocked from pursuing racketeering claims when its $195-million lawsuit against Bankers Trust New York Corp. goes to trial next month. The ruling by U.S. District Judge John Feikens means Procter & Gamble Co. will have to wait until after the trial on the original fraud charges before it can pursue racketeering claims. P&G claims that the bank's derivatives sales staff lied about the risks and prices of the derivatives they sold to P&G. The ruling could increase the pressure on P&G to settle the suit, since it takes away the ability to introduce to a jury claims that it was part of a pattern of fraud that affected other companies.