UNITED KINGDOM

SAIC Motor Corp aims to double the sales of its own-brand cars to 180,000 in 2010, its president said on Monday, as the top Chinese automaker seeks to tap the lucrative mid- to higher-end market currently dominated by foreign rivals.

U.S. private equity investor JC Flowers is circling Britain's weakened banking industry, prepared to swoop on forced divestments over the next 12 months, according to the firm's new European and Asia Pacific boss.

Iran could consider sending its low-enriched uranium abroad, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, apparently softening its opposition to a U.N. plan aimed at keeping a check on its nuclear ambitions.

The Australian Dollar opens lower today against the greenback at 0.9202. The risk appetite that buoyed the Aussie on Monday night evaporated yesterday after news emerged from China that it's banking regulator issued a stern warning to banks regarding strict adherence to capital requirements or face sanctions.

U.S. congress has begun investigating climate scientists whose emails and documents were hacked into to see if their global warming theories have misrepresented the truth behind the cause of climate change. Investigators have begun studying the 1,079 e-mails and over 3,800 documents that were hackers stole last week from the Climate Research Unit (CRU) at East Anglia University in the U.K, Rep. Darrel Issa from California told the Wall Street Journal.

Britain's Shire has asked the EU to officially allow people to take its new Gaucher disease drug, it said on Tuesday, providing hope to sufferers of the disease as supplies of a rival drug start to run out.

The World Health Organization (WHO) is looking into reports in Britain of the likely spread of a drug-resistant strain of swine flu, the U.N. agency said on Tuesday.

Scottish singer Susan Boyle, who shot to fame after her audition for Britain's Got Talent was aired in April, appears set to have the biggest album in Britain this year, music retailer HMV said on Monday.

Almost half the financial sector workers in London and New York say they would take sensitive company information with them if they were fired, according to a new transatlantic survey.

European shares were slightly higher by midday on Tuesday, extending the previous session's sharp gains, with stronger mining and pharmaceutical stocks outpacing weaker financial shares.

Gains in commodity stocks offset weakness in banks to leave Britain's top share index slightly firmer in choppy trade by mid-session on Tuesday.

Investment flows into hedge funds have turned net positive and the sector is heading toward having assets under management of around $1.75 trillion by year-end, according to Morgan Stanley.

Hewlett-Packard Co said a strong performance in China and improved profit margins in its services business helped drive quarterly earnings 14 percent higher. The fiscal fourth quarter results released on Monday were in line with those the company preannounced two weeks ago, which topped Wall Street's estimates.

Hitachi Ltd is expected to sign a high-speed railway project deal in the UK worth more than 500 billion yen ($5.62 billion), as the electronics conglomerate stepped up its efforts to exploit overseas markets, the Nikkei business daily reported.

The Aussie dollar began the week on somewhat of a negative note with early Asian sellers pushing it down from the open of 0.9145 to a low near 91 cents. Support held however as local equity markets opened strongly and New Motor Vehicle Sales for the month of October increased by 3.7%. The AUD entered offshore exchange testing the 92 cent level finally consolidating gains above this level following an increase in risk appetite thanks mainly to upbeat European and U.S economic data. After topping ...

Thousands of emails related to global warming from the Climate Research Unit at East Anglia University in the U.K were hacked into and posted online, with government representatives now calling for an independent inquiry into what is being dubbed, the Climategate.

The risk of strike action at Dutch mail company TNT NV grew on Monday after members of its two largest unions rejected proposals that included a pay cut of up to 3.5 percent to prevent massive job cuts.

Hitachi Ltd is expected to sign a high-speed railway project deal in the UK worth more than 500 billion yen ($5.62 billion), as the electronics conglomerate stepped up its efforts to exploit overseas markets, the Nikkei business daily reported.

British companies are failing to take the strategic implications of climate change seriously and are missing out on investment opportunities, a study sponsored by three major UK investors said Monday.

SAIC Motor Corp aims to double the sales of its own-brand cars to 180,000 in 2010, its president said on Monday, as the top Chinese automaker seeks to tap the lucrative mid- to higher-end market currently dominated by foreign rivals.

Speculation about a bid battle for Cadbury among Kraft Foods and other rivals lifted shares in the British confectioner to a new high on Monday but analysts doubt whether a competing bid will emerge.