AEROSPACE & DEFENSE

Boeing Sale of De Havilland May Be Near: Boeing Co. is close to clinching the sale of its commuter aircraft division after a year and half of trying to unload the money-losing Toronto company, the Canadian Auto Workers union said. Bombardier Inc. of Montreal will take a 51% stake in the company for $41 million and the Ontario government a 49% stake for $43 million, union officials said. Boeing bought De Havilland from the Canadian government in 1988 for $137 million in a bid to diversify its product line into smaller commuter aircraft. Despite millions of dollars in plant improvements, the company has lost $44 million to $88 million a year, analysts said.