IBT Staff Reporter

Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T) is preparing a $1 billion marketing campaign to boost U.S. sales in the fourth quarter, while also planning to expand its line of hybrid models under the Prius name, the Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday.

Private equity firms Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co, Thomas H. Lee Partners, and Providence Equity have submitted bids for Cox Enterprises' Travel Channel, a source familiar with the matter said.

Goldman Sachs downgraded Medco Health Solutions to neutral from buy on valuation and said anticipation over a potential captive pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) acquisition has been adding support to the company's shares.

Geely Automotive (0175.HK), the Chinese carmaker whose parent is eyeing Ford's (F.N) Volvo unit, has approached Canadian auto parts maker Magna International about possibly taking a stake in Opel, a source said.

Singer Chris Brown began his 180-day court ordered community service in Richmond, Virginia.

In the game of climate poker, developing nations might feel they have the right cards on the table in U.N. talks after ramping up efforts to curb greenhouse gas output.

The global auto supply sector needs further consolidation, U.S. billionaire investor Wilbur Ross said, adding he was looking at potential acquisition targets, including at least one in Europe.

Major developing nations have announced steps over the past year to curb their growing greenhouse emissions as the world tries to negotiate a broader, and tougher, U.N. pact to slow the pace of climate change.

British gas prices firmed early on Thursday following a strong rally in the U.S. natural gas market overnight and firm oil prices, while prompt power prices eased on solid supply margins.

Australia's competition regulator plans to allow U.S. major Chevron Corp and partners to jointly market gas from the Gorgon project in Australia to domestic consumers, it said on Thursday.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a flat to lower open on Thursday as FedEx Corp reported in-line quarterly profits and even as the latest labor and housing data indicated an economic recovery was gaining steam.

Petronet LNG, India's biggest gas importer, plans to build two power plants for about 70 billion rupees ($1.5 billion) partly funded through a rights equity issue, the Economic Times reported on Thursday.

Japan's new energy minister said he aims to expand the nation's electricity feed-in tariff scheme to other energy sources beyond solar power within two years, to help meet the new government's goals to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 25 percent below 1990 levels by 2020.

Oil prices fell to around $72 a barrel on Thursday after rising more than 5 percent this week as swollen U.S. distillate stocks such as diesel offset positive sentiment in other markets.

China's Geely Automobile has approached Magna International about joining the Canadian auto part maker's bid for Opel, a source familiar with the matter said, as China chases Western brands and the technology it needs to drive future growth.

Australia's futures exchange operator ASX Ltd plans to establish a futures market for renewable energy by the end of the year as the country seeks to quadruple green power generation by 2020.

Southern California Edison's 1,070-megawatt Unit 2 at San Onofre nuclear power station in California exited an outage and ramped up to 60 percent power by early Thursday, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission said in a report.

New U.S. housing starts and permits rose in August to their highest level in nine months and the number of people filing of unemployment benefits fell last week, evidence a solid economic recovery was underway.

The founders of Skype have sued owner eBay Inc and an investor group that has agreed to buy the Webphone service, accusing them of copyright violation and potentially disrupting the $1.9 billion deal.

The Federal Reserve is conducting a review of commercial real estate exposures at U.S. banks, a Fed source said on Wednesday.

The New Haven Police Department said detectives have secured the arrest of Raymond Clark III in the killing of Yale student Annie Le.

Construction and engineering group Balfour Beatty is in advanced talks regarding a significant acquisition and is mulling a rights issue to fund a deal analysts expect will involve a U.S. or British firm.

Pier 1 Imports Inc reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly loss as the home furnishings retailer benefited from cost cuts, fewer markdowns and improved inventory management.

Rift opens at Fed; Carmakers lose upperhand to suppliers; Missile Shield Plan Scrapped

New U.S. housing starts and permits rose in August to their highest level since November, lifted by a rebound in multifamily homes, a government report showed on Thursday.

The California lawmaker who spearheaded a high-profile anti-obesity effort across the country's most populous state is now training his sights on sugar-sweetened drinks.

U.S. drugs group Merck & Co has teamed up with Britain's Wellcome Trust medical charity in a not-for-profit joint venture to develop affordable vaccines for poor countries.

The U.S. television industry on Sunday hands out it its highest honors, the prime time Emmy Awards, facing a growing conundrum.

U.S. stock index futures were flat on Thursday, threatening a fourth straight positive session, as FedEx Corp reported in-line quarterly profits and investors awaited key data on the labor and housing markets.