Toyota soon to beat GM
TOKYO: Toyota says its global group sales rose 6% last year to 9.37 million vehicles, making for a tight race against General Motors, the world’s biggest automaker. Toyota Motor Corp’s group companies sold 7.1 million vehicles overseas last year, a 10% jump from the
previous year, offsetting a 4% decline in sales in Japan at 2.26 million vehicles, the automaker said in a statement yesterday. GM had not yet given its annual sales tally but earlier estimated 2007 sales would come to 9.3 million vehicles. Toyota had marked booming sales lately on the popularity of models reputed for good mileage, such as the Camry sedan and the Prius petrol-electric hybrid, at a time when soaring petrol prices have dramatically boosted their appeal. General Motors had been fiercely fighting back, boosting its overseas business. – AFP

US, India eye investment treaty
WASHINGTON: The United States and India are to explore the possibility of forging a bilateral investment agreement in high-level talks next month, US treasury secretary Henry Paulson said. He emphasised that the two powers still would push ahead for a successful conclusion of the Doha Round of multilateral trade negotiations under the World Trade Organisation (WTO). “Clearly, it would be positive if we could have a successful bilateral investment treaty,” Paulson told a meeting of the US-India Business Council in Washington on Wednesday. – AFP

Qantas planned strike put off
SYDNEY: Industrial action planned by Qantas
engineers for today has been postponed. It is the second time this week the Australian licensed aircraft engineers’ association (ALAEA) has delayed its plans to resist working overtime following failed pay negotiations. “ALAEA has deferred its proposed action until Feb 1,” an ALAEA spokesman said yesterday. “We will
continue EBA discussions in the meantime.” The
industrial action originally planned for last Wednesday was rescheduled for today before being delayed today until February. The union wanted a 5% pay rise for up to 1,700 engineers nationwide, but the airline offered only a 3% increase. – AAP