Justice Dept. closes price-fixing case against tire industry

WASHINGTON (Feb. 28)—The U.S. Justice Department has officially terminated its investigation of the tire industry for alleged price fixing, according to industry sources. All major U.S. tire manufacturers received subpoenas from the Justice Department in 1995. "You never can dismiss a federal investigation as inconsequential, but those of us who follow the industry never believed that they had a case," said Saul Ludwig, a financial analyst with McDonald & Co. in Cleveland. Justice Department officials couldn´t be reached for comment, and industry sources were closemouthed.