GERMANY

RHJ International, a bidder for carmaker Opel, is not ruling out selling Opel back to U.S. parent General Motors after returning it to health, RHJ's chief executive told a German newspaper on Sunday.

Rich countries should immediately mobilize billions of dollars in development aid to the poorest nations to win their trust in the run-up to global climate talks in Copenhagen, a draft EU report says.

Porsche's owner families have agreed with a key Volkswagen shareholder that controversial clauses of a law protecting Volkswagen from hostile takeovers would be absorbed into the by-laws of Europe's biggest carmaker itself, a German magazine said on Saturday.

Deutsche Bank CEO Josef Ackermann has told Porsche's owner families of the urgency to stump up cash in order to pay down the company's debts, which have risen to 14 billion euros (20 billion pounds), a German magazine said on Saturday.

The Opel Trust, the German body which has been responsible for Opel since June, said on Saturday it has not made any decisions yet regarding the takeover offers for the carmaker.

Qu Jianguo, unable to borrow from banks to fund his small water treatment business, is hoping a Nasdaq-style second board in China, due for launch this fall, will help fill a hole in his country's financial system.

Germany called a French idea to slap carbon tariffs on products from countries that are not trying to cut greenhouse gases a form of eco-imperialism and a direct violation of WTO rules.

Drugmaker Merck & Co Inc announced a proposed settlement on Friday to resolve litigation challenging its planned merger with Schering-Plough Corp.

Global equity markets will consolidate gains this summer with chartists predicting that a sharp rise since March has run its course for now, but technical signals have set the stage for another rally into year-end.

Vodafone , the world's largest mobile phone firm by revenues, reported a slight decline in organic sales, in line with muted market expectations, as strength in India and Africa compensated for European weakness.

Asian stocks hit a 10-month peak on Friday, with Hong Kong vaulting back to levels last seen before the collapse of Lehman Brothers as investors rushed into equities following upbeat corporate earnings around the world.

Porsche conceded defeat in a months-long power struggle with Volkswagen Thursday by axing its embattled CEO, paving the way for VW to merge with the maker of the 911 sportscar.

General Motors' GM.UL European business said on Thursday it had agreed to continue detailed talks with both Magna and RHJ International on its German unit Opel.

Sportscar maker Porsche conceded a months-long power struggle to mass-market rival Volkswagen by axing its CEO and said it would raise at least 5 billion euros ($7.1 billion) in equity as the two prepared for a merger.

Porsche's board of directors in an all-night meeting endorsed talks to sell a stake to the Gulf state of Qatar and to boost its finances with a capital hike of at least 5 billion euros.

Investors are looking for signs of a recovery in solar panel demand when manufacturers report earnings in the coming weeks, though panel prices are still falling fast and earnings may not see a meaningful improvement until 2010.

The Chinese government started a pilot program to provide technological support, subsidies and market pull to solar-power projects, aiming to boost the solar industry as a new growth point for the country's economy, state news agency Xinhua reported on Tuesday.

The twelve members of Porsche SE's supervisory board assembled on Wednesday, a day earlier than expected, to discuss the fate of the indebted sportscar maker.

Canada's Magna is still Germany's preferred bidder for carmaker Opel, a government spokesman said on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with General Motors representatives to discuss the takeover offers.

Middle East analysts from London-based risk consultancy Exclusive Analysis answer emailed questions about Iran, Saudi Arabia and UAE.

Canada's Magna (MGa.TO) is still Germany's preferred bidder for carmaker Opel, a government spokesman said on Wednesday ahead of a meeting with General Motors representatives to discuss the takeover offers.