CHINA

China's bubbly stock market is making heroes out of some unlikely companies. And none more so than BYD Co. (1211.HK), in which Warren Buffett plans to take a 10 percent stake.

Japanese car manufacturers unexpectedly posted profits on Wednesday and Mercedes-maker Daimler forecast improving performance this year but clear signs of sustained recovery for the world's battered auto sector remained elusive.

New orders for U.S. durable goods posted their biggest drop in five months in June while major global steel and auto companies said on Wednesday any return to growth would be gradual, casting doubt over some economists' forecasts for a recovery starting later this year.

Stocks ticked toward session lows on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve's snapshot of economic conditions showed labor market weakness persisted even though the economic slowdown is moderating.

U.S. stocks slipped on Wednesday as a steep drop in U.S. durable goods orders last month underscored fears of more economic weakness, and falling commodity prices hurt shares in the energy and resources sectors.

U.S. stocks slid on Wednesday as a steep drop in U.S. durable goods orders in June fueled fears of more economic weakness and falling commodity prices hit shares in the energy and resources sectors.

A Taiwanese proposal for an agreement establishing closer links with China could add up to 1.72 percent to Taiwan's gross domestic product, according to a think tank report commissioned by the economics ministry.

Honda Motor Co and Nissan Motor Co surprised markets by eking out small profits last quarter helped by cost cuts, but a sustained recovery looks some way off with demand relying largely on government stimulus.

Top Asian and European semiconductor manufacturers gave optimistic forecasts for the second half of the year as they saw demand and prices improving, but said they would continue to monitor the market closely.

The world's top two steelmakers and leading carmakers said on Wednesday any return to growth would be gradual, casting doubt over some economists' forecasts for a recovery starting later this year.

China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co Ltd, part-owned by the Carlyle Group, has hired China International Capital Corp (CICC) and three other investment banks to arrange its Hong Kong initial public offering, two people with direct knowledge of the situation said on Wednesday.

China Pacific Insurance (Group) Co Ltd, part-owned by the Carlyle Group, has hired China International Capital Corp (CICC) and three other investment banks to arrange its Hong Kong initial public offering, two people with direct knowledge of the situation said on Wednesday.

Police in the Central Asian state of Kyrgyzstan, a focus of Russian-U.S. rivalry, detained dozens of opposition activists Wednesday after they staged two marches in protest at last week's presidential election.

Nearly 10,000 Uighurs involved in deadly riots in China's northwestern Xinjiang region went missing in one night, exiled Uighur activist Rebiya Kadeer said Wednesday, calling for an international investigation.

Stocks opened lower on Wednesday as a larger-than-expected 2.5 percent drop in June new orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods revived worries that the economic recovery might be weak.

Stocks opened lower on Wednesday as a larger-than-expected 2.5 percent drop in June new orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods revived worries that the economic recovery might be weak.

Stocks headed for a lower open on Wednesday as a larger-than-expected 2.5 percent drop in June new orders for long-lasting U.S. manufactured goods revived worries that the economic recovery might be weak.

Rich nations must agree to large, measurable cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions, if the world is to set a framework to tackle global warming at U.N.-led talks in December, a senior Chinese official said on Wednesday.

Japanese car manufacturers unexpectedly posted profits on Wednesday and Mercedes-maker Daimler forecast improving performance this year but clear sings of sustained recovery for the world's battered auto sector remained elusive.

Stock index futures fell on Wednesday as a drop in commodity prices looked set to weigh on shares of natural resource companies and investors digested the impact of an overnight sell-off in Chinese stocks.

Japanese carmakers Honda and Nissan unexpectedly clung to profits in the first quarter and either raised or stuck to their full-year forecasts, while France's Peugeot swung to a loss.