The FINANCIAL -- According to RIA Novosti, German Chancellor Angela Merkel on November 4 expressed her disappointment over the U.S. General Motors (GM)'s decision not to sell Germany's Opel to the Magna-Sberbank consortium, German media reported.

The FINANCIAL -- Unipec Asia Co., Ltd. (“Unipec”), a subsidiary of China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation (Sinopec Corp.), and Esso Highlands Limited, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil Corporation and the operator of the PNG LNG Project, announced on November 4 that the two parties entered into a Heads of Agreement for the long-term supply of 2 million tonnes per annum (MTA) of Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG).

The FINANCIAL -- Total announces the signing of a research agreement with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) to develop new stationary batteries that are designed to enable the storage of solar power.

The FINANCIAL -- Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd. (the “Company”) has released its consolidated business results for the first nine months of the fiscal year ending December 31, 2009 (fiscal 2009).

The FINANCIAL -- The Board of Directors of the Sports Car Club of America has ratified a Honda Performance Development, Inc. proposal to begin supplying Honda Formula F engines for competition in the SCCA's Formula F (FF) class in 2010.

The FINANCIAL -- Celebrating its 50th year in America, Honda kicked off its week at the 2009 Specialty Equipment Market Association's (SEMA) show in Las Vegas with a variety of historic and accessorized Honda vehicles, a robust Honda Performance Development (HPD) racing display and the reveal of a 2010 Accord Sedan equipped with MUGEN accessories.

The FINANCIAL -- Tata Motors has begun distribution of its Prima range of World Trucks, which was unveiled in May this year.

The FINANCIAL -- Toyota Motor Sales (TMS), U.S.A., Inc., on November 3 reported October sales of 152,165 vehicles, a decrease of 3.5 percent from last October, on a daily selling rate basis. 

The FINANCIAL -- TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announces it plans to withdraw from the FIA Formula One World Championship (F1) at the end of the 2009 season.