DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) –
The United States is working to ensure that any stimulus package for the economy is in line with international trade rules, acting U.S. Trade Representative Peter Allgeier said on Saturday.

Trade ministers meeting in the Swiss ski resort of Davos on had expressed concern that "Buy America" provisions in the $825 billion stimulus bill passed by the House of Representatives could shut imports of other countries out of the U.S. market and fuel protectionism.

"We are certainly working with the Congress, with the White House, to make sure whatever we do in response to the economic crisis is consistent with our obligations," Allgeier told Reuters after the meeting.

Allgeier also said the administration hopes that the Senate will schedule confirmation hearings for President Barack Obama's nominee as U.S. Trade Representative, Ron Kirk, in the next couple of weeks.

(Reporting by Jonathan Lynn; editing by Erica Billingham)

DAVOS, Switzerland (Reuters) –
Nike is experiencing a sharp increase in online sales, driven in part by cost-conscious shoppers conserving gasoline, the U.S. company's chief executive said on Saturday.

"We've seen a fairly dramatic increase in online sales," Mark Parker told a panel at the annual meeting of the World Economic Forum.

Industry analysts say the online sector continues to grow as more shoppers opt to shop on the Internet for convenience and the ability to compare bargains.

Nike, the world's largest athletic shoe and clothing maker, last month reported a 9 percent rise in quarterly net profit, showing its relatively resilience to the sluggish consumer environment around the world.

(Reporting by Ben Hirschler; editing by Simon Jessop)

ZURICH, Jan 31 (,Reuters) –
Swiss drugmaker Roche (ROG.VX) is confident that it will succeed in its bid for U.S. biotechnology group Genentech Inc (DNA.N), the Swiss drugmaker's chairman was quoted as saying in comments released on Saturday.

"I am very confident that we will be successful in taking 100 percent of Genentech," Franz Humer was quoted as saying in an interview with Switzerland's Basler Zeitung.

Roche launched a surprise hostile bid for Genentech on Friday at a price below its initial rejected offer, reflecting tougher financing conditions and a drop in Genentech shares.

"The lower price reflects the value that we see in the company. Over the last year, the economic environment has changed," Humer said in the interview.

Roche is now making a public tender offer at $86.50 per share in cash for the 44 percent of Genentech it does not already own, valuing the deal at $42 billion and replacing its initial $44 billion bid.

Genentech said a special committee of its board would make a formal response within 10 business days of starting the tender offer and urged shareholders to take no action at this time. But it signaled another rejection in the offing.

(Reporting by Katie Reid; Editing by Jan Dahinten)