China's manufacturing sector grew in October at its fastest rate in 18 months, a survey suggested on Sunday, offering a further sign of the country's quick economic recovery.
Chinese prosecutors have formally arrested four Rio Tinto employees detained in early July on suspicion of obtaining trade secrets and commercial bribery. The mining company says the charges seeom to refer to a "normal commercial market situation".
French unions have never taken the threat of job cuts sitting down: but with job cuts coming thick and fast, the unions are hitting back with increasingly aggressive tactics. This kind of violence seems far less common in the rest of Europe.
An explosion at a French bell foundry in Normandy has injured 46 people, all of whom were guests invited to watch the casting of a church bell. Most only suffered minor burns and smoke inhalation but one person has serious burns.
Former linchpin of French industry Thomson announced on Friday that it had reached a deal with its creditors to obtain a 45 percent reduction in its debt. The media technology group will reduce its 2.83 billion euro deficit to 1.55 billion euros.
BASF has announced plans to cut 3,700 jobs as part of the integration of Swiss rival Ciba. The German-based chemical giant says it may sell or close as many as 23 of Ciba's 55 sites worldwide.
British-South African mining giant Anglo American announced on Monday that it has rejected a merger bid from its Swiss rival Xstrata, saying that the terms were "totally unacceptable". The merger would have created the world's biggest mining company.
Once considered as Russia's most important growth factor, the country's industrial output continues its decline. In May, it fell 17.1% compared to last year after a previous decline of 16.9% in April.
Finnish Stora Enso, Europe's leading paper and cardboard maker, is to cut up to 2,000 jobs in the next two years in order to save 250 million euros. The company also announced a net loss of 36.1 millions euros in the first quarter.
US semiconductor manufacturer Freescale intends to close its French plant, which employs some 1,700 people, by the end of 2011. The group also plans to shut down one of its Japanese plants, in an effort to remain "competitive".
