CHINA

The U.S. car market should see a modest recovery in 2010, with sales possibly reaching between 11.5 million and 12 million vehicles, General Motors Co Chief Executive Fritz Henderson said on Thursday.

Global leaders will institutionalise the G20 as the world's main economic governing council, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said on Thursday.

Nine North Koreans entered Denmark's embassy in Hanoi Thursday, seeking political asylum after leaving their impoverished and isolated country in search of food and freedom, activists and a group statement said.

Chinese housing prices have surged since March, but they will soon lose momentum and even start to fall around the end of the year, boding well for a more sustained contribution to overall economic growth.

Metallurgical Corp of China (MCC), a building and engineering firm that raised $2.3 billion in Hong Kong's biggest IPO this year, fell on its debut as investors, tiring from an IPO deluge, judged the stock was too pricey given an uncertain outlook for China's steel industry.

China dampened expectations of further sanctions on Iran Thursday, telling other major powers that putting even more pressure on Tehran would not persuade it to halt its nuclear program.

China's efforts to gain a greater stake in Australia's resource industry suffered a new setback on Thursday when a Chinese miner dropped a $400 million bid for a controlling stake in an Australian rare earths miner.

The U.N. Security Council, at a summit chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama, unanimously approved a resolution on Thursday calling on nuclear weapons states to scrap their arsenals.

General Motors GM.UL does not expect a sharp slowdown in demand in China's auto market from potential changes in government policy, its China chief said on Thursday.

A U.S. drive to build a more balanced global economy gained the qualified support of China on Wednesday in a sign that Group of 20 leaders may be ready to take joint action to prevent future economic crises.

Fed Upgrades; Credit Card Blues; Can't Do It Alone

It pays to be discerning when interpreting the vast increases in reported statistics concerning pre-and post-MBA salaries.

U.S. President Barack Obama said he and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed on Wednesday that serious additional sanctions must be considered if Iran does not respond to proposals to end a nuclear standoff.

Former Alaska governor and US vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin delivered her first speech outside North America on Wednesday.

Chinese online video games company Shanda Games Ltd has raised the number of shares it plans to sell in its initial public offering later this week by nearly a third, with estimated proceeds now reaching $960 million.

Cadbury Plc Chief Executive Officer Todd Stitzer detailed potential benefits from a takeover by Kraft Foods Inc and discussed valuations with investors in comments that could set the stage for talks between the British confectioner and the world's No. 2 food company.

China offered some support on Wednesday to U.S. plans to build a more balanced global economy, as world leaders seek to agree ways to nurture a tentative recovery and prevent future crises.

Chinese President Hu Jintao urged U.S. President Barack Obama not to slap duties on more Chinese goods after a dispute over tires but stressed hopes for steady economic ties ahead of a Group of 20 leaders' summit.

Evergreen Solar Inc has hired a new general manager for its Asia operations, Henry Ng, as the U.S. solar company prepares to expand in China, Evergreen said on Wednesday.

Duke Energy Corp has signed a clean energy technology agreement with China's ENN Group, adding to a deal it struck last month with the country's top power provider in Duke's push to cut carbon emissions.

Hummer plans to invest $9.4 million over five years and take advantage of tax credits to set up a Michigan headquarters after China's Tengzhong acquires the brand from General Motors Co, a Hummer spokesman said on Tuesday.