JAPAN

Abu Dhabi's state-owned ATIC offered to buy Chartered Semiconductor for $1.8 billion, while major shareholders in Hynix began the sale of a $2.8 billion stake, kickstarting consolidation in a chip sector emerging from its worst ever downturn.

Investors jumped back into equities on Monday, sending world stocks close to their highest level for the year, while the dollar weakened against a basket of currencies as demand for risky assets rose across the board.

Japan's prime minister-elect said on Monday he will forge ahead with a tough 25 percent cut in emissions by 2020, despite growing opposition from industry which says the target will hurt the world's No. 2 economy.

Investors jumped back into equities on Monday, sending stocks up more than 1 percent, after a rare week of losses, while the dollar weakened and gold was steady at just below $1,000 an ounce.

Shares in Asia rose on Monday after U.S. data showed a slowdown in layoffs, while Chinese shares extended gains on hopes that Beijing will pull out more policy tools as needed to support its volatile stock market.

Shares in Asia rose on Monday after U.S. data showed a slowdown in layoffs, while Chinese shares extended gains on hopes that Beijing will pull out more policy tools as needed to support its volatile stock market.

Chinese shares rose on Monday to extend gains on hopes that Beijing will continue to use policy to support asset prices, while gold prices dipped but kept within striking distance of $1,000 after U.S. unemployment rose to a 26-year high.

Toshiba Corp is in talks with Singapore's Chartered Semiconductor and Globalfoundries Inc about outsourcing production of some of its next-generation system chips to help cut costs, two company sources said.

LG Electronics Inc, the world's second-biggest TV brand, expects LCD TV sales to jump nearly 50 percent next year as demand from emerging countries continues to grow robustly, a top executive said.

LG Electronics Inc , the world's second-biggest TV brand, expects its LCD TV sales to jump nearly 50 percent next year as demand from emerging countries continues robust growth, a top executive said.

Two generations of Murdochs have caused a wave of excitement in the battered newspaper industry in recent weeks with a series of comments and actions suggesting that charging readers for news on the Web is the way forward.

H1N1 flu has killed at least 2,837 people but is not causing more severe illness than previously and the virus has not mutated, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday.

Daiwa Securities Group could pay around $2 billion to exit an investment banking joint venture with Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, sources said, triggering a further shake-up of Japan's banking industry.

Nouriel Roubini, a leading economist who predicted the scale of global financial troubles, said a U-shaped recovery is possible, with leading economies undeperforming perhaps for 3 years.

Top officials from the United States, European Union and Brazil on Friday awaited a pivotal World Trade Organization ruling on subsidies to Airbus that stands to impact the global aircraft sector.

Nouriel Roubini, a leading economist who predicted the scale of global financial troubles, said a U-shaped recovery is possible, with leading economies undeperforming perhaps for 3 years.

Global carmakers are lining up to make India, home of Tata Motors' (TAMO.BO) Nano, the world's cheapest car, a base for their export operations as they try to cut costs and move to compact, fuel-efficient vehicles.

Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp said on Friday it has formally signed a contract for a previously announced tie-up with France's Peugeot-Citroen in electric vehicles.

Japan's Toshiba Corp plans to bid for French nuclear group Areva's power transmission and distribution unit, four sources with direct knowledge of the situation said, in a deal that could top $5 billion.

World equities climbed higher on Friday, although investors were cautious about U.S. jobs data due later in the day, while the dollar slipped against a basket of major currencies.

Asian stock markets mostly edged higher on Friday, underpinned by encouraging U.S. retail sales but cautious ahead of a U.S. payrolls report, while the Aussie dollar was supported by a spike in gold prices.