Also. . .

* Pope & Talbot Inc. said it expects to report fourth-quarter earnings below analysts’ expectations, citing escalating energy costs, continued deterioration in lumber prices and weakness in the short fiber pulp market. The company did not give a specific estimate of its fourth-quarter profit, which it expects to report in January. The consensus estimate among analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial was earnings of 59 cents.

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* Fisher Scientific International Inc., one of the largest sellers of laboratory equipment, said it will acquire Covance Inc.’s packaging business for $137.5 million in cash. Princeton, N.J.-based Covance, the No. 2 manager of clinical drug studies, said it plans to use proceeds from the sale to pay down debt. The Covance unit makes supplies used by pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies in clinical trials of medicines, including making labels and packaging for drugs. Fisher Scientific is based in Hampton, N.H.