Ticker Talk:

Struggling Gillette’s decision this week to stop forecasting its short-term sales and earnings probably reflects the influence of Warren Buffett, the renowned investor and Gillette board member, analysts and money managers say. Buffett provides no such guidance for his Berkshire Hathaway Inc. and has said that trying to set, manage and meet quarterly targets is a distraction. Buffett, who did not return Bloomberg News calls regarding Gillette, is the largest shareholder of the company.