IBT Staff Reporter

Fiat SpA's plans for Chrysler will scrap the U.S. automaker's long-held plans for its brands outside North America with the exception of Jeep, people with direct knowledge of the plan said.

U.S. stocks rose on Monday after U.S. factory activity grew more than forecast in October, alongside improved global manufacturing, and pending home sales increased unexpectedly.

U.S. manufacturing activity rose to its highest level in 3-1/2 years last month and pending home sales contracts unexpectedly surged in September, offering hope the budding economic recovery would be sustained.

Online advertising start-up OpenX and Microsoft Corp announced a partnership to promote each other's Internet technologies to their respective customers.

The key number in next year's U.S. congressional election may be the unemployment rate, which last month hit a 26-year high of 9.8 percent.

Ford Motor Co surprised Wall Street with a quarterly profit on Monday and raised its 2011 outlook to solidly profitable, sending its shares up 5.7 percent in premarket trading.

As automakers, parts suppliers and car retailers ready business plans for next year and beyond, the experience of the industry's 2009 crash has made caution the new byword.

Leaders of the 21 APEC economies are concerned that high level political commitment to conclude the Doha Round of world trade talks has yet to translate into substantive progress and called for a deal next year, a draft statement from the grouping seen by Reuters on Monday said.

North Korea called on Monday for direct talks with its long-time foe, the United States, and gave the clearest signal so far it was ready to return to nuclear disarmament talks it has boycotted for almost a year.

Motorola announced Monday that its already popular Motorola Droid, which launched in the US last week, will soon hit the European and Latin markets as Motorola Milestone.

China lashed out at the United States on Monday after the Obama administration sent six Uighur Chinese detainees from the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay to the Pacific island nation of Palau.

The U.S. manufacturing sector grew in October for the third consecutive month and at a faster rate than expected, according to an industry report released on Monday.

China's vast Three Gorges reservoir will see a increasing number of landslides and other geological hazards as the water reaches its maximum level this autumn, a magazine report warned on Monday.

Afghanistan's election commission declared Hamid Karzai elected as president on Monday after it called off a runoff following the withdrawal of his only rival.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in September to their highest level in nearly three years ahead of the expiration of a popular tax credit for first-time buyers, a survey showed on Monday.

Planned palm oil carbon emission targets will be delayed by at least a year as planters clash with NGOs on calculating the vegetable oil's environmental impact, officials said on Monday.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday Israel must do more to get peace talks with the Palestinians on track, countering Arab accusations she had given in to Israel over settlements.

Time has almost run out to break deadlock on a U.N. climate deal supposed to be struck in Copenhagen next month, the United Nations and Denmark warned negotiators at a final preparatory meeting on Monday.

The most expensive home in Seattle is currently listed at $25M and what a magnificent home it is. Located on the northern tip of Mercer Island, it has a nice view of the upper half of Lake Washington and the Olympic Mountains. MLS #28184022, let's start with the basics:

Australia's greenhouse gas emissions fell in the year to June, the first decline since an greenhouse inventory started in 1998, as the economy slowed due to the global financial crisis.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in September to their highest level in nearly three years ahead of the expiration of a popular tax credit for first-time buyers, a survey showed on Monday.

CIT Group Inc's bankruptcy case was assigned on Monday to U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Robert Gerber, the same judge who oversaw the recent reorganization of the automaker General Motors Co.

EU soybean and soymeal imports are unlikely to return to normal levels despite the EU's decision on Friday to authorise three maize types containing genetically-modified organisms (GMOs), industry associations said on Monday.

Valeant Pharmaceuticals International posted a better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher revenue from its specialty pharmaceutical segment, and raised its 2009 earnings view.

Independent oil and natural gas company Quicksilver Resources Inc said it expects average daily production in 2010 to grow at least 20 percent over the projected 2009 level.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes unexpectedly rose in September to their highest level in nearly three years ahead of the expiration of a popular tax credit for first-time buyers, a survey showed on Monday.

Shanda Games Ltd, China's top videogame company, said its revenue growth over the next five years would average 18.4 percent annually and continue to outpace the industry.

Stronger demand and economic conditions are expected to boost housing starts in 2010, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp said in an upwardly revised forecast for new home construction on Monday.

Canadian auto parts maker Magna wants Herbert Demel, the head of its Austrian car development and assembly plant, to become head of Opel, a German magazine said, citing sources.