Goodyear won't speculate on sale

AKRON, Ohio (March 7)—Speculation that Goodyear has hired Credit Suisse First Boston to sell its rubber chemicals business has drawn a non-committal response from the tire maker. Goodyear Chemicals, which has about $1 billion in annual sales and provides the company with compounds used to make tires, is one of two businesses the company operates that have been rumored to be on the selling block during the last few months. The other unit is Engineered Products. "from time to time we review all of our options, including asset sales," a spokesman said. "But we are not going to speculate on the possible future sale of any of our assets."