CHINA

China's monopoly on rare earth metals gives it an important diplomatic advantage over other countries.

One of the predominant economic issues of our day has to do with the “offshoring” or “outsourcing” of American jobs overseas, particularly to developing economies like India and China where costs of labor are significantly less, thereby undermining efforts to reduce the stubbornly high U.S. jobless rate (currently at 9.6 percent)

Europe's luxury carmakers fear no double-dip thanks to a fresh supply of wealthy customers in emerging markets who have just earned enough money to buy their first Mercedes-Benz or Ferrari.

Top carmakers let cautious optimism creep into their outlooks at the Paris Auto Show on Thursday, pinning hopes on emerging markets to dispel dark clouds over major western economies.

Ford Motor Co could take its Lincoln brand to international markets within five years once it has re-established the long-neglected luxury label in the United States, Chief Executive Alan Mulally said.

Scientists in China and Hong Kong are designing a gel containing an experimental drug which they hope can reduce HIV infections in women.

Carmakers gathering in Paris this week will show off the cars they hope will win them access to booming emerging markets like China, while industry watchers seek clues on how the recovery is progressing closer to home.

Chinese car and battery maker BYD Co Ltd has discussed the possibility of billionaire investor Warren Buffett raising his 10 percent stake, local media reported on Wednesday, boosting its shares.

China's BYD rolled out the welcome mat for billionaire investor and backer Warren Buffett, flying him to its south China base on Monday for a series of events to showcase its clean car initiatives.

U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett could deliver some tough talk to BYD Co Ltd when he visits the Chinese automaker

Patchi and Harrods have tied up to bring out exclusive chocolates studded with Swarovski crystals. Priced at $10,000 the treats have been exclusively designed by the Lebanese chocolatier.

Swiss watch brand Hublot is planning to double up its stores in the promising Asian market especially China. The soccer World Cup time keeper has already plans to open at least 15 stores by next year.

Till a couple of years ago, the largest market for luxury brand Mont Blanc was the United States. Then in 2008, China sped by and till date remains the pen and watch company's largest market.

China's housing ministry has ordered construction to begin for all affordable housing projects before the end of September, the China Securities Journal reported on Tuesday.

China's top automaker SAIC Motor Corp has reached out to General Motors Co GM.UL to explore the prospect of taking a stake in the automaker when it goes public this fall, four people with knowledge of the matter said.

Japan's Nissan Motor plans to double its capacity in China by 2012, joining a host of peers that have made similar recent moves to capture a bigger slice of the world's biggest auto market.

Europe's truckmakers anticipate profits will rebound faster than expected in 2010, thanks to emerging markets where enormous growth rates pushed aside painful memories of the industry's worst ever slump.

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.

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.

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.