Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Business Briefs Column.

May 9--ALCOA MUM ON A CHINA STAKE: Alcoa and Chinalco declined comment on reports that Alcoa had resumed talks about taking a stake in China's state-owned aluminum producer. The two companies tentatively agreed to form an alliance in 1999, but never finalized it. Alcoa has made no secret of its ambition to expand in China and Asia. The U.S. producer has a 30-year contract to provide Chinalco with 400,000 metric tons of alumina annually. It also has four joint ventures in China that produce aluminum foil and another that makes closures for beverage containers.

DAIRY MART TO UNLOAD STORES: Dairy Mart Convenience Stores Inc. plans to sell or close 200 of its 547 retail …