Transportation

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.

The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday said it was continuing to investigate a January 7 battery fire on a Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner at Boston airport, and had shifted into a more detailed, microscopic examination of the damaged battery.

The Paris Court of Appeal ordered a temporary suspension of PSA Peugeot Citroen's restructuring plan which includes 8,000 job cuts, the company and unions said.

Pentagon and industry officials said on Monday a manufacturing problem was the most likely cause of an engine failure that led to the grounding of all 25 Marine Corps versions of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet 10 days ago.

Airbus warned the airline industry of risks related to lithium batteries almost a year before two safety incidents grounded 787 Dreamliners built by its chief rival Boeing , according to a presentation seen by Reuters.

The world's largest bulk shipper, China COSCO Holdings Co Ltd , faces the risk of delisting for its Shanghai shares if it fails to turn around in 2013, after having warned of a second straight year of losses.

General Motors Co averted a looming strike in Brazil by delaying the layoff of as many as 750 workers until the end of the year and vowing to invest about 500 million reais ($246 million) at its Sao Jose dos Campos facility.

Further testing still has not found the cause of a battery fire aboard a Boeing Co 787 Dreamliner in Boston earlier this month, the National Transportation Safety Board said on Sunday.

US Airways Group Inc and American Airlines parent AMR Corp are in the final stages of negotiating a merger, with valuation and management structure being the two major sticking points left to resolve, four people familiar with the matter said.

General Motors and alliance partner PSA Peugeot Citroen will build all three planned joint vehicle programs on the French automaker's technological platforms, the companies said on Thursday.

General Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen outlined plans to collaborate on a new range of small cars and minivans based on the French company's technology in order to spread development costs across more brands and models.

General Motors Co is counting on the new Encore small crossover vehicle to bring more new customers to its premium Buick brand.

A key Senate committee will hold a hearing in coming weeks to examine U.S. aviation safety oversight and the Federal Aviation Administration's decision to allow Boeing Co to use highly flammable lithium-ion batteries on board its new 787 Dreamliner, a congressional aide said on Tuesday.

Japan's transport ministry said on Monday it will continue its investigation into problems with batteries used in Boeing Co's 787 Dreamliner jet and manufactured by Japanese battery maker GS Yuasa Corp.

Boeing Co.

Europe's Airbus posted a 43 percent drop in orders and surrendered its crown as the world's largest planemaker to Boeing last year, but predicted improvements in both orders and deliveries for 2013 as airlines seek to reduce fuel costs.