IBT Staff Reporter

Toyota Motor Corp remains confident its electronic controls have not failed and has made about 80 percent of the U.S. repairs under the recall for sticky accelerator pedals.

Saudi Arabia and BlackBerry maker Research In Motion are making progress in talks over access to the device's encrypted network, a source close to the negotiations said, and the kingdom had yet to carry out threats to cut its Messenger service early Friday morning.

General Motors Co is increasing its advertisement spending to the levels seen prior to its bankruptcy filing, Joel Ewanick, the car maker's marketing chief, told the Wall Street Journal in an interview.

On Wall Street, the ability to trade on information quickly can be the difference between making money and making nothing. On Friday, a federal appeals court in New York considered how fast is too fast.

General Motors India will launch a range of mini-trucks and passenger vehicles in its joint venture with China's SAIC two years from now.

General Motors Co is considering reopening one of the auto plants it closed as it went through bankruptcy in 2009

Panic buying of wheat subsided on global markets on Friday, sending prices tumbling as officials reassured markets that ample global supplies would prevent a repeat of the 2008 crisis that triggered food riots around the globe.

It should be possible to create a U.S. housing finance system without the need for potentially risky entities like government-sponsored mortgage finance agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said.

A surprising drop in July temporary payrolls, part of a weaker-than-expected U.S. government jobs report, defies the trends staffing companies are seeing in their own businesses, say staffing execs, who predict slow, modest jobs growth will resume in coming months.

Stocks dropped on Friday after government data showed a larger-than-expected drop in July payrolls, lending more weight to concerns of a slow economic recovery.

Stocks tumbled on Friday after government data showed a larger-than-expected drop in July payrolls, increasing expectations of a slow economic recovery.

American International Group Inc's quarterly results topped Wall Street's expectations on Friday, and the chief executive said the insurer is actively looking to repay its enormous taxpayer bailout.

The Washington Post Co's quarterly profits quadrupled, but its shares dived as much as 8 percent as the company said the proposed U.S. Department of Education regulations could hurt its Kaplan education unit, which accounts more than 60 percent of its revenue.

Japan's trade ministry has ordered Apple Inc's Japan unit to state on its website that users who are concerned about their iPod nano portable music player catching fire can receive a replacement battery.

Shares in BP rose 1.2 percent in London on Friday, taking their bounce since the near 14-year low in June to 45 percent, lifted by the group's latest progress in plugging the ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico.

Royal Bank of Scotland has clinched the $3 billion sale of a majority stake in its WorldPay arm to a private equity duo, the latest step in its recovery plan following a humiliating taxpayer bailout in 2008.

The Washington Post Co's quarterly profits quadrupled, driven by strength in its broadcasting and education segment.

A Saudi threat to cut off Blackberry Messenger services did not take immediate hold on Friday as users in Saudi Arabia were still able to access the service.

Malaysia has put reefs before ringgits (that's money to you and me) by closing 12 popular coral reefs until the end of October.

The lingering impact of August 3, 2010, clash on the Israeli-Lebanese border lies in the greater context of, and wider strategic dynamics in, the Middle East. These aspects were highlighted by HizbAllah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah in his speech later that day.

Wheat prices in both the United States and Europe retreated on Friday but held just below two-year highs as markets reacted to the sudden imposition of a ban on grain exports from drought-hit Russia.

Magna International reported much stronger than expected quarterly results on Friday, with sales up about two-thirds on the back of a healthy pickup in the global auto market, sending the auto parts maker's shares up more than 9 percent.

Stocks fell on Friday as data showed the economy shed more jobs than expected last month, increasing worries that the path to economic recovery will be slow.

The ongoing Diggers and Dealers conference here addressed issues relating to global gold industry amid increasing demand. The annual conference in the gold mining mecca of Kalgoorlie is Australia's biggest meeting of miners, prospectors, financiers, brokers and contractors.

In order to penetrate further into retail segment of the commodities investors, National Spot Exchange Limited (NSEL) will launch copper and nickel contracts under its electronic spot trading E-series by the end of August, 2010.

American International Group Inc's quarterly results topped Wall Street's expectations on Friday, and the insurer said it had started talks on repaying one of the biggest U.S. taxpayer bailouts.

From amateur twitching to hair-raising elephant encounters, get up close and personal with Malawi's furred and feathered creatures

BP finished pumping cement into its ruptured oil well in the Gulf of Mexico on Thursday to seal off the source of the world's worst offshore spill, paving the way to permanently plug the blow-out later this month.

Auto parts maker Magna International reported much higher-than-expected quarterly results on Friday, with sales up about two-thirds on the back of a strong pickup in the North American car market.