UNITED KINGDOM

Zimbabwe authorities ordered businesses on Thursday to stop selling basic goods in bulk to avert shortages after an official price freeze triggered a frenzied buying spree that has emptied most shop shelves.

BMW, the world's largest premium carmaker, and its closest rival, Mercedes-Benz, are in negotiations over a partnership to build subcompact cars, German motor magazine Auto Bild reported.

Sterling jumped to a 26-year high versus the dollar for a third day on Wednesday, vaulting $2.02 and showing no signs of vertigo so far against a broadly weak dollar that stayed near record lows versus the euro.

Britain's leading share index had edged higher by midday on Wednesday, led by hotel groups after Blackstone agreed to buy Hilton, but overall activity was thin as U.S. markets are closed for a holiday and investors await an interest rate decision on Thursday.

Progress made by Britain's Barclays in its offer for ABN AMRO demonstrates its ability to offer the Dutch bank's shareholders certainty and deliverability, Chief Executive John Varley said on Wednesday.

European share indexes ticked higher early on Wednesday, helped by the hotel sector, but investors were awaiting fresh direction ahead of two rate decisions later in the week and with U.S. markets closed for the Independence Day holiday.

Police were holding eight people on Tuesday, at least four of them foreign doctors, over a suspected al Qaeda plot against Britain that has triggered a manhunt stretching as far as Australia.

Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS.L: Quote, Profile, Research) and its partners seeking to buy Dutch rival ABN AMRO for 71 billion euros ($96.6 billion) do not know many of the key facts relating to their target, documents showed on Tuesday.

The dollar steadied on Tuesday after two sessions of steep falls, hovering just above a record low against the euro, as investors eyed central bank meetings this week in Europe which could keep overseas yields climbing.

Most companies in China, the United States, Canada and Britain have not laid out plans to improve their energy efficiency, despite growing concerns about global warming, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Stocks traded higher on Monday, supported by takeover news and data showing manufacturing growth accelerated last month, while bond prices gained in a flight-to-safety bid as police investigated attempted car bomb attacks in Britain.

Security concerns and a sharp drop in the dollar helped gold hit its highest level in nearly two weeks on Monday, but investors were expected to trade cautiously ahead of the U.S. Independence Day holiday.

U.S. government bonds rose on Monday, sending yields to three-week lows as investors shrugged off robust factory data and instead sought a safe haven after recent attempted car bombings in the UK and an attack in Yemen.

British cable operator Virgin Media said on Monday it had received a bid approach from an unnamed group, which sources familiar with the situation told Reuters was U.S. private equity firm Carlyle Group.

Investors sold European stocks and bought government bonds and gold as trading got underway for the second half of 2007 on Monday, driven by security concerns after weekend bomb plots in Britain and higher oil prices.

Two government funds in the United Arab Emirates denied on Monday they were looking to acquire either Jaguar or Land Rover, the British luxury car brands of U.S. automaker Ford.

McDonald's Corp will convert its British delivery fleet to run on biodiesel made from its own recycled cooking oil, the firm said on Monday in a statement.

Chinese President Hu Jintao swore in Hong Kong's leader for a new term on Sunday and reminded the territory that the motherland comes first, as the city embarked upon its second decade under Beijing's rule.

Even if a U.S. jury deliberating the fate of Conrad Black decides to acquit him, the toppled media mogul is likely to spend a lot more time in court.

British cable operator Virgin Media has appointed Goldman Sachs to seek a possible buyer after it received approaches from various private equity firms, people familiar with the situation said on Sunday.

England slammed the door on smoking in bars, workplaces and public buildings on Sunday in what campaigners hail as the biggest boost to public health since the creation of the National Health Service in 1948.