Business - Automotive

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday approved a $24.2 billion bill to fund the U.S. Treasury Department for 2010 and also tries to help automobile dealerships hit by the bankruptcies of Chrysler and General Motors.

WASHINGTON - The House broke with the Obama administration Thursday over a key part of the auto industry restructuring, pressing General Motors and Chrysler to restore dealerships shuttered by the car companies' bankruptcies.

DETROIT - If your company has no publicly traded stock and only four stakeholders, does it need to have an annual shareholders meeting?

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The number of Americans filing for jobless benefits fell to the lowest level since January last week, a decline linked to upheaval in the auto industry, while a key regional manufacturing index slipped more than expected in July, reports showed on Thursday.

NEW YORK - Retail gas prices dropped Thursday for the 25th consecutive day as America's appetite for petroleum hovers around 10-year lows.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - Germany and Russia are "working together for the future of Opel" the carmaker, Chancellor Angela Merkel said Thursday after she met with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Munich.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell sharply last week to the lowest level since January, the government said on Thursday, but the data was distorted by an unusual pattern of automotive industry layoffs that amplified the drop.

WASHINGTON - Banks cut borrowing to $34.46 billion from Fed's emergency program, sign credit woes easing.

BERLIN (Reuters) - Germany dismissed a report on Thursday that RHJ International had overtaken Magna (MGa.TO) as the front-runner to take over carmaker Opel, saying the race remained wide open.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP) - Talks between the German and Russian leaders on Thursday that sought to concentrate on their growing economic ties, were overshadowed by the murder of a top rights campaigner in the Caucasus.

DOVER, Del. - Fresh from bankruptcy reorganization themselves, General Motors and Chrysler Group LLC now may become bankruptcy lenders to auto parts supplier Visteon Corp.

WASHINGTON - When it brokered the restructuring of Chrysler and General Motors, President Barack Obama's auto task force repeatedly pledged that it would steer clear of running a car company.

DETROIT - The new General Motors Co. began changing its executive ranks and streamlining its management structure Wednesday, announcing the departure of several top officials.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The White House on Wednesday slammed legislation in the U.S. House of Representatives that would try to help Chrysler and General Motors dealerships facing closure stay in business.

DETROIT - Shares of the old General Motors Corp. lost half their value Wednesday after the stock symbol was changed to reflect the company's new name, Motors Liquidation Co.

Give carmaker Nissan credit for offering shoppers a deal. Just as the U.S. economy was taking a dive late last year, the company introduced a new version of its Versa sedan that's priced so low, it competes with used cars.

BRASILIA (Reuters) - General Motors unveiled plans on Wednesday to spend about $1 billion in Brazil through 2012 to develop a new family of vehicles for South America, a priority market for the U.S. automaker as it looks to rebound from bankruptcy protection.

DETROIT (Reuters) - Daimler AG's Mercedes and Toyota Motor Co's luxury Lexus brand topped a ranking intended to measure how well U.S. car shoppers were treated in dealer showrooms whether they bought a new car or not.