Volvo to manufacture S40 sedan in China
Ford Motor Co's Volvo Car Corp. has announced that it will begin producing its S40 sedan at Changan Ford's plant in the southwestern city of Chongqing. Volvo Cars' technical team in Chongqing has selected local suppliers for a number of car parts to meet the Chinese government's requirements for localization to its full extent.

Volvo said it aimed to manufacture 10,000 cars a year and the joint venture, Chang'an Ford, will be Volvo's third manufacturing site in Asia after those in Thailand and Malaysia.

Volkswagen and BMW already have plants in China.

While Volvo conceded that it was late in entering China where profit margins were shrinking, the company was confident that Chinese manufacturing operations would be profitable by early next year.
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Colgate to acquire 84-per cent stake in Tom's of Maine
Chicago: Colgate-Palmolive Co has agreed to buy an 84 per cent equity stake in Tom's of Maine, a company making natural toothpaste, deodorant and other products, for almost $100 million. Colgate expects to close the deal during the second quarter.

Colgate said that Tom Chappell will continue to run Tom's of Maine, the No 1 oral care brand in the natural category. The Chappell family will retain a 16-per cent stake in the company. Colgate would have the opportunity to buy more shares over the coming years.
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Google introduces financial news, data, blog site
San Francisco: Google Inc. is introducing a financial news, stock quote and chat service.

Google Inc said it has begun offering a trial version of the service called Google Finance that uses a keyword search system to help consumers target information on public and private companies and mutual funds.

Google Finance primarily provides financial news, stock quotes, charts and data. In its trial form, the site is less comprehensive than established financial sites such as those from Yahoo Inc., Microsoft Corp.'s MSN America Online's Money & Finance and TheStreet.com.

The new Google site relies on information from a variety of financial publishers and data providers including Reuters Group Plc, Hoover's Inc, Morningstar Inc, Interactive Data Corp. and Revere Data LLC.
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