IBT Staff Reporter

Honda Motor Co will overhaul its sourcing strategy by ditching its one-spec-fits-all method on global car models to better compete with Hyundai Motor and others in emerging markets, an executive said on Tuesday.

Toyota Motor Corp's Chinese auto finance unit has been fined by the authorities in the city of Hangzhou for alleged involvement in commercial bribery, China's Xinhua News Agency reported on Tuesday.

General Motors will invest $655 million to expand capacity at its Opel factory in Hungary and Volkswagen's Audi may also expand production at its plant, both seen as boosting investor sentiment toward the country.

The United Auto Workers union will aim to ensure that its members share in General Motors GM.UL, Ford Motor Co (F.N) and Chrysler profits in contract talks next year, President Bob King said on Monday.

Senior officials from the United Auto Workers union will travel to Italy next week for a meeting with Fiat SpA (FIA.MI) Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne and a pitch to bring jobs to the United States for its suppliers.

Top Chinese automaker SAIC Motor Corp said on Monday it and Baosteel will jointly build a lab to research and develop new steel products to make cars lighter.

Gifting for Christmas just got easier with the new exclusive offering from Harrods. The UK-based store has launched its Christmas Hampers 2010.

Marking the country's importance as luxury buyer's market, Hermes has introduced a new brand Shang Xia, and opened its first boutique in Shanghai, China.

Italian drinks group Davide Campari Milano SpA went on an acquisition spree and bought Carolans Irish cream liqueur, Frangelico and Irish Mist liqueurs from privately-owned Scottish whisky group William Grant for $ 169 million.

Louis Vuitton tops the list of 100 Best Global Brands, according to Interbrands annual listing. Interbrand, a major brand consultancy firm announced its results this week. A subsidiary of LVMH, Louis Vuitton was ranked 16th among brands of all category.

The worldwide costs of dementia will reach $604 billion in 2010, more than one percent of global GDP output, and those costs will soar as the number of sufferers triples by 2050, according to a report on Tuesday.

Cyber-bullying may be even harder on the victims than physical beatings or name-calling, U.S. researchers reported on Tuesday.

Armed with a fake tan, government-funded researchers have found they can get women to cut back on sunbathing.

U.S. doctors increasingly are ditching pen and paper and sending prescriptions to pharmacies electronically, lured by up to $27 billion in government funds aimed at speeding the switch to electronic medical records.

The first genetically modified animal aimed at consumers' dinner plates faces an uncertain future following a federal advisory panel on Monday that gave a mixed assessment on whether such food -- a salmon -- is safe to eat.

Scientists have found a region of DNA that can increase or decrease the high chance of breast cancer linked to a particular gene variant - a finding that could help doctors keep a closer eye on women most at risk.

Researchers who discovered a hormone intimately linked to obesity, who found a protein linked to a common form of blindness and who worked on genetic blood diseases won the 2010 Lasker awards on Tuesday.

U.S. inspections of overseas pharmaceutical plants would increase and regulators would gain new recall power under proposals unveiled by Democrats in the House of Representatives on Monday.

Two Democratic senators are demanding more transparency about premium increases from health insurers and warning them against blaming higher rates on a newly passed reform law.

A new blood-thinning drug moved closer to U.S. approval on Monday, leading a pack of stroke-fighting medicines vying to compete in an estimated $10 billion a year market.

You got your latest slim, top-of-the-line LED backlit television, but when you mount bulky speakers beside it, the whole effect is gone.

The bespoke black glass bottle filled with 40-year-old single malt whiskey is a pleasure to own, especially if it is a limited edition.

The first genetically modified animal could move one step closer to U.S. dinner tables on Monday, when a federal advisory panel recommends whether such food -- a salmon -- is safe to eat.

Holland & Holland, the classic British men's shooting and country clothing label founded in 1835 by Henry Holland, has reintroduced its signature tweeds this season.

Socialite and hotel heiress Paris Hilton's love for animals is not unknown. She went on a shopping spree on Monday for all her pets including some fancy dress costumes for her furry friends.

The price of gold climbed to a new all-time high of $1,284 per ounce on Monday morning, suggesting that investors are very concerned about inflation that is apparently eroding the value of paper-currencies.

Bringing in his expertise in concept designing to speedboats Marc Newson has reinterpreted the Riva speedboats to create Aquariva by Marc Newson.

Mercedes Benz has quietly brought in its E-Class Cabriolet while pushing out the outdated CLK convertible. The E-Class with two variants E350 at $56,850, and E550 at $64,800 are stylish ragtops that are specially designed for those who love a fast ride.

Speaking to the BBC, Dorian Harris, Managing Director of Skoosh.com said hotels would email, call and threaten legal action over his website openly offering hotel discounts.