Transportation

General Motors Co on Thursday posted a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit as its loss in Europe widened and the U.S. automaker was unable to hold vehicle prices in its core North American market.

General Motors Co reported a weaker-than-expected fourth-quarter profit on Thursday, citing wider losses in Europe and lower vehicle prices plus higher costs in its core North American market.

The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board is investigating whether tiny fiber-like formations, known as dendrites, inside lithium-ion batteries could have played a role in battery failures on two Boeing Co 787 Dreamliners last month.

Italy's market watchdog Consob said on Tuesday it had banned short selling on shares of defense group Finmeccanica on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The FBI is investigating allegations of corruption involving a British unit of aerospace group EADS over a contract in Saudi Arabia for the UK's Ministry of Defence, the Financial Times said on Monday.

The U.S. auto industry and the nation's economy face a reckoning despite recent gains in economic growth and vehicle sales, both fueled by stimulus programs, the head of the largest U.S. auto dealer group said on Friday.

The question of whether the French state might take a stake in struggling carmaker PSA Peugeot Citroen is not on the agenda, a source at France's finance ministry said.

U.S. aviation regulators said on Thursday they would permit Boeing Co to conduct test flights of its 787 Dreamliners, which have been grounded since January after two battery related safety incidents in a matter of days.

The National Transportation Safety Board is "probably weeks away" from completing its probe into causes of a battery fire on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, but will share its latest information on Thursday, NTSB chairman Deborah Hersman said on Wednesday.

Vehicles with small, turbocharged engines do not have a significant edge over larger, more traditional powertrains and in some cases the newer models are slower and less fuel-efficient, Consumer Reports said on Tuesday.

Kyoto, Japan (Reuters) - GS Yuasa Corp , which makes batteries for the Boeing Co Dreamliner, said on Tuesday its earnings would not be impacted by the grounding of the 787 passenger jets, nor did it see any reputational impact on its other lithium-ion batteries.

German luxury car brand Mercedes-Benz improved sales by 9.

As U.S. budget pressures mount, the U.S. Marine Corps says growing foreign demand could help drive down the unit cost of its new upgraded H-1 utility and attack helicopters built by Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc .

General Motors Co is recalling 12,415 cars in the United States to address issues with what may be improperly tightened suspension bolts and faulty airbags, according to documents filed with U.S. safety regulators.

Honda Motor Co aims to increase its global car sales by 15 percent to 4.

Renault wants to cut 7,500 posts in France by 2016 to help boost competitiveness as its domestic and European markets continue to slump, a spokeswoman for the French carmaker said.

Fiat has asked the government to approve a special lay-off scheme at its Melfi plant in southern Italy for two years to restructure the plant before production of new models begins, the car maker said on Tuesday.

South Korea's Hyundai Motor Co and affiliate Kia Motors Corp aim to boost global sales by 4 percent this year to a combined 7.

Boeing Co has some insurance in case its aircraft are grounded, but it is far too soon to say whether the problems with the 787 Dreamliner will lead to significant claims, the head of the planemaker's lead insurer said on Wednesday.

Fiat SpA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne said the Italian automaker would like to see the minority holder of U.S. affiliate Chrysler Group LLC sell out as soon as possible.