American Airlines says improperly installed clamps caused seats to come loose on some planes, and it’s expanding an inspection to cover dozens of jets.

In the past week, rows of seats have come loose on three separate flights, two of which made emergency landings.

American said Tuesday the problem was caused by improper installation of a clamp used to attach each row of three seats to tracks on the aircraft floor.

Feds join fraud suit against JPMorgan

The federal government Tuesday threw its support behind a lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, accusing Bear Stearns, the investment bank JPMorgan bought in 2008, of engaging in massive fraud in deals involving billions in residential mortgage-backed securities.

At a news conference, acting Associate Attorney General Tony West credited a federal-state working group of law enforcement agencies created by President Obama in 2009 with assembling evidence in the lawsuit brought by the New York attorney general’s office.

The Obama administration has been under heavy political pressure to hold major Wall Street players accountable for the nation’s biggest financial collapse since the Great Depression. Bear Stearns was sold to JPMorgan Chase in 2008.

Meijer plans to hire 12,000 for holidays

Midwest retailer Meijer Inc. says it’s planning to hire 12,000 new employees as it prepares for the holiday season as well as to support continued growth.

The Grand Rapids-based company has stores in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky. It announced the planned hiring Tuesday.

Meijer stores are open 24 hours and are closed on Christmas Day. Staffing needs vary from store to store, but the company says all Meijer stores have jobs available.

Job candidates are asked to complete an online application. Candidates may also complete the application at employment kiosks located in Meijer stores.

T-Mobile USA in talks to acquire MetroPCS

The parent of cellphone company T-Mobile USA on Tuesday said it is in talks to buy smaller MetroPCS Communications Inc., a deal that could shore up two struggling smaller players in the U.S. wireless industry.

Deutsche Telekom AG, the German company that owns T-Mobile USA, said “significant issues have not yet been finalized” and no decision has been made on a deal. MetroPCS also confirmed the talks.

T-Mobile USA is the country’s fourth-largest cellphone company, with 33.2 million subscribers.

Adding the 9.3 million subscribers of Dallas-based MetroPCS, the industry’s No. 5, would still leave T-Mobile trailing No. 3 Sprint Nextel Corp.

Judge lifts US ban on Samsung tablet sales

A federal judge has lifted a ban on sales of Samsung Electronics Corp.’s Galaxy 10.1 tablet computer.

U.S. District Judge Lucy Koh ruled Monday the South Korean technology giant is now free to start selling the product in U.S. stores.

The judge had previously banned U.S. sales of the tablet pending the resolution of a sweeping patent trial between Apple Inc. and Samsung over vital technology used in smartphones and tablet computers.