Toyota is planning to suspend production for more than a year at one of its production lines in Japan.

Advertising giant WPP says the impact of the recession in the first half of 2009 was 'severe', with profits down 47%.

Network Rail is due to announce its preferred route for a new high speed railway line linking London with the north.

Reuters - Asian stocks edged higher on Wednesday, with thin summer trading volumes keeping prices choppy and centered on short-term chart targets, while oil hovered near $72 a barrel, capped by a surprising rise in U.S. inventories.

The world's third-largest brewer, Heineken, reports better-than-expected results as cost cuts offset a fall in sales.

Serco, which will run London's new bike hire scheme, says profits have surged after it won a record amount of contracts.

Dublin-based bookmaker Paddy Power reports pre-tax profits of 34m euros for the first six months of 2009, down from 47m euros at the same time last year.

Reuters - The German government might drop its opposition to Belgian-based financial investor RHJ International as a buyer for General Motors' European unit Opel, Bild newspaper reported on Thursday.

Reuters - Toyota Motor Corp (7203.T), the world's largest automaker, said it would halt a production line in Japan as it looks to cut excess capacity to return to profitability amid an industrywide sales slump.

Reuters - Japan's exports slipped in July as annual drops in exports to the United States and China accelerated, in a sign that the impact of stimulus measures in major economies worldwide may be starting to wane.

Japanese exports fell in July at a faster annual rate than June, raising fears the effects of global stimulus measures are declining.

The euro hits a two-and-a-half month high against the pound after a survey shows growing confidence among German firms.

Network Rail proposes a new £34bn high-speed line linking Scotland and London, serving Birmingham and Manchester, by 2030.

Nigeria's fraud police say they are preparing to act against business leaders who have failed to pay back millions owed to banks.

What the bank crisis says about Nigeria's elite

One in six UK homes which house at least one person of working age does not have anyone in work, official figures show.

Consumers who lose money to underhand sales practices should be allowed to seek compensation in court, a watchdog says.

Reuters - Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 rise 0.1-0.4 percent, pointing to a firmer start on Wall Street on Wednesday.

Reuters - G20 countries should ensure they have plans to withdraw the huge stimuli put into their economies but are clear the fiscal and monetary boosts remain in place for now, a UK government source told Reuters on Wednesday.

Electronics giant Fujitsu says it will cut up to 1,200 services jobs in the UK because of the economic downturn.

Exports from Latin American and Caribbean nations are set to show their steepest fall in more than 70 years, the United Nations predicts.

Some people are delaying retirement while others are still putting more in their pension pot in the recession, surveys suggest.

US consumer confidence rose more than expected this month, a report finds, the latest sign that the economy is improving.

Reuters - Stock index futures fell on Wednesday as oil futures turned lower and ahead of durable goods and new home sales data.

Reuters - U.S. mortgage applications rose for a second straight week, with demand for home refinancing loans rising to its highest level since early June, data from an industry group showed on Wednesday.

Reuters - Upscale home furnishings chain Williams-Sonoma Inc reported a surprise profit on cost-cutting and raised its full-year outlook as it expects tighter inventory control to boost margins in the back half.

US durable goods orders soared last month, growing at the fastest rate in two years, led by the airline sector, official figures orders.

Reuters - Stocks recovered earlier losses on Wednesday to trade little changed after data showed sales of new single-family homes rose more than expected in July.

Reuters - Sales of newly built U.S. single-family homes rose for a fourth straight month in July to set their fastest pace since last September, while the inventory of unsold homes fell to the lowest level in 16 years, a government report showed on Wednesday.

Reuters - U.S. regulators are likely to back down from the tough stance they took a month ago on rules for auctions of troubled banks, which could clear the way for more private equity bidders to come back into the game.

AP - Women's clothing retailer Charming Shoppes Inc. said Wednesday it swung to a profit in the second quarter even as consumers spent less to drag down sales by a double-digit percentage.

US durable goods orders soared in July, helped by the 'cash for clunkers' car scheme, the latest positive sign about the economy.

Software giant apologies for altering a photo on its website to change the race of one of the people in the picture.

Construction and engineering company Costain becomes the latest big employer to shut its final-salary pension scheme.

Reuters - U.S. stocks seesawed on Wednesday despite strong data on new home sales and durable goods orders as investors paused after a recent sharp run-up.

Reuters - Dallas Federal Reserve President Richard Fisher said on Wednesday the U.S. economy is poised for a slow, sluggish recovery as it emerges from a painful recession.

Reuters - The German government signaled on Wednesday that talks between Berlin and General Motors over the fate of its European unit Opel are threatening to drag on, raising the specter of insolvency again.

AP - Home decor retailer Kirkland's Inc. said Wednesday it turned a profit in the second quarter, helped by lower freight expenses and occupancy costs.

The surge of nearly 10 percent from a month earlier is another sign that the housing market is turning around.

The Transportation Department said that the program resulted in nearly 700,000 auto sales, and car dealers had submitted $2.877 billion in rebates by the 8 p.m. deadline.

Choosing communications tools for the children, from make-believe cellphones for toddlers to unlimited texting devices for preteenagers.

A cool new technology gives you movies and more in your campsite, bedroom or boardroom, without a bulky projector.

The savings and loan industry had its first profit since the third quarter of 2007, but the number of ?problem thrifts? has increased.

The investment bank Natixis said that its partially state-owned parent company would guarantee about $50 billion in toxic assets on its books.

Ben S. Bernanke?s challenge in his second term will be to undo much of what made him a hero during his first.

The increase in the estimate, from $7.1 trillion, was attributed to the unexpectedly deep economic downturn.

The judge has refused to sign off on Bank of America?s $33 million settlement with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France announced steps, agreed to by bankers, to curb excessive compensation.

Law students deep in debt from elite schools would often count on being hired by big-name firms, but those opportunities are drying up, and competition is growing.

General Motors is having second thoughts about the sale, as Chancellor Angela Merkel campaigns for re-election in Germany, where retaining jobs is a major issue.

Despite their reputation as early adopters, young people are not flocking to Twitter. But their parents are.

A congressman?s plan to save Medicare billions could cost the drug industry.

Environment Minister Peter Garrett said Chevron had agreed to meet conditions set for the development of the Gorgon natural gas field.

InterContinental Hotels has started renovating some of its Holiday Inns and is honoring the chain?s founder, C. Kemmons Wilson.

While other investors wait on the sidelines, Inland Real Estate has put $1 billion into commercial property acquisitions so far this year.

In our current system, medical costs are hidden to many, making radical insurance change seem risky to many.

The nationalized Dutch bank reported a large first-half loss of 2.65 billion euros and said the legal separation of certain assets owned by Royal Bank of Scotland is on schedule.

The Russian gas monopoly was hit hard by disruptions of gas supplies to Europe and the plunging value of the ruble.

The Chinese oil and gas producer said profit fell to $1.8 billion in the period but it forecast better results in the coming months as the global economy recovers.

A former Nigerian bank boss being sought by the country's anti-corruption police in connection with fraud, turns herself in.

Reuters - Stocks declined slightly on Wednesday, as investors took a breather after a strong rally earlier in the week, despite strong reports on new home sales and durable goods.

Reuters - U.S. regulators have been negotiating until the last minute on highly anticipated guidelines for private equity investments in distressed banks.

The surge of nearly 10 percent from a month earlier is another sign that the housing market is turning around.

More than a half-million option ARMs ? mortgages with low initial payments that can rise sharply later ? are scheduled to be reset in the next four years.

Scooter taxi services aim to cut down on drunk driving and also turn a profit.

Markets traded in a narrow range after the government reported a bigger than expected increase in overall orders to factories and an increase in new home sales in July.

Reuters - Investors stayed cautious on Wednesday after a rally, leaving stocks up just slightly on the day despite solid reports on new home sales and durable goods orders.

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators voted on Wednesday to ease rules applying to private investments in troubled banks.

The board of the F.D.I.C. moved to relax some proposed rules while still imposing tough standards on private equity firms seeking to buy troubled financial institutions.

The move will reduce the automaker's overall capacity by 220,000 vehicles, a spokesman said.

A bank hard hit by the subprime mortgage crisis receives government-engineered financial support.

German business sentiment jumped in August to its highest level in nearly a year, fueling expectations that the euro zone?s largest economy will lead a recovery in the region.

Sony and Best Buy have unveiled a range of audio products ? including iPod speaker docks and a Blu-ray theater system ? that are the result of two years? collaboration.

The boss of the UK's financial watchdog says he backs a new tax on banks as a means to prevent excess bonus payments.

Reuters - Investors stayed cautious on Wednesday after a rally, leaving stocks little changed despite solid reports on new home sales and durable goods orders.

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators partially retreated from a much-criticized proposal to impose new rules on private equity investment in troubled banks, aiming to encourage investments in distressed bank assets.

Reuters - Northrop Grumman Corp was awarded a U.S. Air Force contract boost, up to $3.4 billion, to support the radar-evading B-2 bomber, the Defense Department said on Wednesday.

More factories that make the material used in solar panels have opened, and the global demand for them has fallen.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the owner of the resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn., made the move as casinos worldwide grapple with slumping business.

A bank hard hit by the subprime mortgage crisis receives government-engineered financial support.

Mr. Emerson was an important chronicler of the tumultuous Civil Rights era in the South. He was known as a nimble, competitive and voluble editor and reporter.

A far cry from missing-child notices, today?s milk containers are used as a platform in national campaigns for things like DVDs, frozen dinners and brownie mixes.

MillerCoors and Anheuser-Busch InBev are no longer in a price war, and that has meant higher prices for beer drinkers.

Some 599,000 Premium Bond prizes remain unclaimed with a total value of £35m, says NS&I.

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators partially retreated from a much-criticized proposal to impose new rules on private equity investment in troubled banks, aiming to encourage responsible investment in distressed banks.

The board of the F.D.I.C. moved to relax some proposed rules while still imposing tough standards on private equity firms seeking to buy troubled financial institutions.

Reuters - U.S. stocks closed near break-even on Wednesday despite fresh signs of a modest economic recovery, while rising U.S. crude stockpiles led oil prices to extend sharp losses from the previous session.

Reuters - U.S. banking regulators partially retreated from a much-criticized proposal to impose new rules on private equity investment in troubled banks, aiming to encourage responsible investment in distressed banks.

Reuters - The U.S. Air Force has boosted the potential value of Northrop Grumman Corp's contract to support the radar-evading B-2 bombers by more than 50 percent to $9.5 billion.

Detroit automakers combined accounted for just under 40 percent of sales, less than the 45 percent posted by Asian companies.

Some say the Governmental Accounting Standards Board should make public pension numbers more straightforward; others say its existing rules are sound.

Now that Chrysler?s partner is Fiat, which specializes in small cars, Nissan will need to find a way to improve its large-pickup segment.

For more than a decade, he was New York?s mightiest labor leader. Now he has emerged as a central player in the effort to save President Obama?s health care effort.

The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, the owner of the resort Casino in Ledyard, Conn., made the move as casinos worldwide grapple with slumping business.

Owners of a West Virginia chemical plant, where two workers were killed in an explosion last year, said they would cut production of poisonous chemical.

At Suntech Power Holdings, a misstatement on selling below ?marginal cost? in the United States.

After years of failed negotiations, Cablevision reignited hostilities with the Tennis Channel by announcing that it will carry the network as part of a sports package that costs consumers an extra $5.95 a month.

Enough of the bloatware. Apple is releasing a ?smaller, faster and more refined? operating system.

Reuters - Asian shares mostly eased on Thursday and the yen rose after a flat day on Wall Street following encouraging home sales and durable goods data left investors cautious about chasing shares higher.