McDonnell Douglas received contracts totaling $778.9 million...

McDonnell Douglas received contracts totaling $778.9 million for Air Force F-15 aircraft production and Navy AV-8b aircraft spare parts . . . The Thomson Group of France and the Italian state telecommunications enterprise STET said they were joining forces to create Western Europe’s second-largest manufacturer of semiconductors . . . Amsterdam-based electronics giant NV Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken said it plans an issue of 20 million common shares valued at about $500 million to strengthen its global presence.