World-Business/Business-Finance news

Deutsche Telekom and France Telecom signed the final agreement to combine their UK operations, T-Mobile and Orange, into a 50:50 joint venture company.

As part of the settlement agreement, Joltid and Skype founders Niklas Zennström and Janus Friis will join the investor group, contributing Joltid software and making a significant capital investment in exchange for a 14 percent stake in Skype.

Acquisition Enhances AT&T’s Wireless Network Coverage in Rural Areas, Service for Businesses Operating in Puerto Rico

The South African Petroleum Authorities today confirmed Royal Dutch Shell plc as the successful bidder for exploration rights in the Orange Basin deep-water area, off the country’s west coast.

Acquisition advances NCR ’s self-service growth and leadership across multiple industries

The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited and the Bank of Communications Co. Ltd. (BoCom) are in advanced discussions to transfer their existing joint credit card activities in China to a newly established joint venture company.

NCR Corporation (NYSE:NCR) today opens its new ATM manufacturing facility in Columbus, Ga., rolling out its first NCR SelfServ™ ATMs and bringing innovative manufacturing back to North America.

Ford Motor Company [NYSE: F] announced today that a consortium led by Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. Ltd. is its preferred bidder in the ongoing discussions concerning the possible sale of Volvo Car Corporation.

The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the successful completion of two key reviews for the U.S. Army’s High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator (HEL TD) program.

Cisco today announced its intent to acquire privately held ScanSafe, Inc. Based in London and San Francisco, ScanSafe is a market leader of software-as- a-service (SaaS) Web security solutions for organizations ranging from global enterprises to small businesses.

ING announced today that it will move towards a complete separation of its banking and insurance operations as part of its ongoing review of the Group’s strategy and as a logical next step in its Back to Basics programme.

HSBC Insurance (Asia Pacific) Holdings Limited (HSBC) has signed an agreement to increase its shareholding in Bao Viet Holdings, Vietnam’s leading insurance and financial services group to 18 per cent from 10 per cent currently for VND1.88 trillion (approximately US$105.3 million).

Mercedes-Benz is further expanding its center of excellence for compact vehicles by enlarging its Rastatt plant with an investment of 600 million euros.

The acquisition significantly strengthens Adecco’s professional staffing business, making Adecco the world leader in this attractive market segment

Today, Mobistar announces that the brand of its subsidiary in Luxemburg, VOXmobile, will change and become Orange on October 28, 2009. There will be no change to the Mobistar brand in Belgium.

Citi announced today that it will sell 100% of its interest in Phibro LLC to Occidental Petroleum Corporation for a purchase price equal to approximately the net asset value of the business.

General Motors (GM) and Sichuan Tengzhong Heavy Industrial Machinery Co., Ltd (Tengzhong), today announced that the companies have entered into a definitive agreement that will allow Tengzhong to acquire GM's premium all-terrain HUMMER brand.

Unilever today announced that it is to reduce its equity interest in JohnsonDiversey from 33 per cent to 4 per cent.

ING announced today that it has reached an agreement to sell its Swiss Private Banking business to Julius Baer for a consideration of CHF 520 million (EUR 344 million) in cash. Julius Baer is the leading pure-play Swiss Private Banking group.

During his one-week trip to the USA, Lower Saxony’s Prime Minister Christian Wulff visited Volkswagen of America at the Chattanooga site accompanied by an industry delegation.