FRANKFURT (AFP) ― Volkswagen, Europe’s biggest carmaker, said on Thursday it had received approval from Chinese authorities to increase its stake in MAN, the final hurdle in the takeover process. “The Chinese competition authorities have approved the increase of the stake of Volkswagen in MAN,” VW said in a statement.Approval by the Chinese competition authorities marked the completion of all regulatory clearances necessary for settlement and with it, VW had been able to take another “decisive s

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG, the world’s largest maker of luxury vehicles, reported better-than- expected profit in the third quarter as demand for the X3 sport- utility vehicle offset lower 1-Series sales.Earnings before interest and taxes rose 44 percent to 1.72 billion euros ($2.35 billion) from 1.19 billion euros a year earlier, the Munich-based company said today. Profit beat the 1.58 billion-euro average estimate of 18 analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. Revenue climbed 3.8 percent to 16.5 bil

Toyota Motor Corp. and Honda Motor Co. posted U.S. sales declines for October, rather than the increases they had forecast, while Nissan Motor Co. and Hyundai Motor Co. led gains among Asian carmakers amid improving demand.Deliveries fell 7.9 percent from a year earlier for Toyota, Asia’s biggest automaker, and 0.5 percent for Honda, as both of the Japanese companies did better than analysts had estimated. Sales rose 18 percent for Nissan, 23 percent for Hyundai and 21 percent for Kia Motors Cor

The Korean parliament’s ongoing dispute over the free trade agreement with the United States is dimming prospects for its early ratification. But global carmakers operating in the United States were already fixing plans to launch vehicles here for the tax advantages in the pact that will greatly impact the auto industries of the two countries.Toyota Motor Corp., among them, is the first to bring its made-in-America cars to Korea at a lower price in expectation of lower taxes. As all cars manufac

  CANNES, France (AP) -- Leaders of the world's 20 most powerful economies failed to agree on how to increase the firepower of the International Monetary Fund, so that it can help stem the European debt crisis, though they acknowledged its resources should be boosted.   The leaders st

Emergence of pension lottery jumpstarts the boomKorea is in the grip of lottery fever. The nation is on course to sell 3 trillion won ($2.69 billion) worth of tickets this year, up 25 percent from 2010. The Finance Ministry, in charge of lotteries, has stopped its TV promotions with celebrities in an effort to slow the industry’s growth. The explosive popularity of lotteries this year isn’t just about the thrill of winning. Years of branding the state-run project has attracted more prudent, leve

SK Group chairman Chey Tae-won called for global efforts to strengthen social corporate responsibility to achieve the sustainable growth of poor countries.Chey made the call during a roundtable discussion at the meeting of business leaders on the sidelines of G20 Summit in Cannes, France, on Thursday.Chey attracted support from participants when he proposed to global companies to set up “social enterprises’ and investment in them for the developing countries’ sustainable growth, according to SK