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AA Sweetens JAL Offer; Cadbury Rebuffs Kraft; China's Growing Fortunes

Household income in China surged in the last six years, especially for top earners, putting the country on track to eclipse the United States as the biggest consumer market in a decade, Credit Suisse said in a report on Tuesday.

Dubai-based Arabtec confirmed on Saturday that Abu Dhabi's Aabar Investments is looking to finalize a deal on January 13 to acquire a 70 percent stake in the company for $1.7 billion.

Abu Dhabi-based Aabar Investments (AABAR.AD) wants to acquire 70 percent of Arabtec (ARTC.DU) through convertible bonds, Aabar said, in a $1.7 billion deal which would provide both cash and potential new contracts for the Dubai builder.

Japan's new finance minister called for a weaker yen on Thursday and said he would work with the Bank of Japan to achieve an appropriate level, prompting a sharp slide in the currency against the dollar.

Credit Suisse Group AG has been sued by property owners in four luxury ski and golf resorts, saying the Swiss bank concocted a loan scheme to defraud them and ultimately take over the properties.

The tally at the end of the afternoon on Thursday had gold prices showing a $40.40 loss with the metal quoted at $1093.80 per ounce, a price level not seen since before Thanksgiving

French carmaker Renault is in talks with German rival Daimler and others about partnerships to cut costs as the industry tries to become more efficient exiting the downturn.

TAM Linhas Aereas (TAMM4.SA) (TAM.N), Brazil's largest airline, said on Wednesday it plans to spin off its Multiples SA unit in an initial public offering, hoping to capitalize on a boom in share sales.

A surprise $536 million settlement by Credit Suisse to a U.S. probe over financial dealings with Iran should only do short-term damage to the Swiss bank, but others could now be in the line of fire.

Swiss bank Credit Suisse said it was likely to pay a hefty $536 million to settle a U.S. probe into payments made between 2002 and 2007 involving parties that are subject to U.S. economic sanctions.

Global share markets were becalmed on Tuesday and the dollar struggled after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke gave a cautious assessment of the world's biggest economy, driving investors toward government debt.

AIG is soliciting bids for its International Lease Finance Corp after a group led by the unit's chief offered to buy a small portion of the aircraft lessor's fleet, according to sources familiar with the matter.

American International Group Inc is soliciting bids for its International Lease Finance Corp after a group led by the unit's chief offered to buy a small portion of the aircraft lessor's fleet, according to sources familiar with the matter.

Luxury homebuilder Toll Brothers Inc reported a wider-than-expected quarterly loss on Thursday as homebuilding revenue slumped and it wrote down the value of its land holdings.

U.S. credit card companies are targeting affluent consumers in a resurgence of marketing campaigns, as they recover from massive defaults by subprime borrowers in the past year.

U.S. stocks were poised for a flat open on Wednesday after a private-sector employment report showed an improvement from October but fell shy of forecasts.

A Bank of Japan policymaker signaled on Wednesday the central bank was open to adopting more measures to support the economy following its emergency meeting the previous day that offered extra short-term funding.

The yen weakened broadly on Wednesday as traders took Japan's new monetary policy measures as a cue to sell, while mixed signals from stocks and commodities kept the dollar in check.

The yen weakened broadly on Wednesday as traders took Japan's new monetary policy measures unveiled the previous day as a cue to sell, while mixed signals from stocks and commodities kept the dollar in check.

News, details on corporate bond issues in the European markets on Wednesday:

Gold scaled another all-time high above $1,200 an ounce on Wednesday, helped by a weaker dollar as it lost some of its safe-haven appeal due to upbeat U.S. home sales and renewed appetite for riskier assets.

Oil steadied at above $77 a barrel on Tuesday, after a rebound of 1.6 percent in the previous session, as Dubai debt default fears eased and investors cast about for fresh clues to the pace of global economic recovery.

Swiss bank UBS is threatening to move its headquarters out of Switzerland if the authorities impose too many new regulations in the wake of the global financial crisis, Swiss weekly paper Sonntag CH said.

European shares extended gains to hit a session high on Friday, as U.S. futures indicated Wall Street may not drop as much as previously expected.

Sensata Technologies, a Dutch company owned by private equity firm Bain Capital, filed for an initial public offering of up to $500 million on Wednesday.

The U.S. economy grew more slowly than first thought in the third quarter, but a fifth month of gains in house prices in September and an improvement in consumer morale signaled the anemic recovery was intact. In its second estimate of third quarter gross domestic product published on Tuesday, the Commerce Department said the economy expanded at a 2.8 percent annual rate, probably ending the most painful U.S. recession in 70 years.

Indonesian coal miner PT Bumi Resources Tbk said on Monday it plans to raise $300 million from the sale of seven-year convertible bonds.

Investors tempted to put money into star hedge fund manager John Paulson's new gold portfolio will have to commit at least $10 million and leave the money locked up for at least one year, according to a prospectus.