Factories Produce Good News
The Wall Street Journal
So far, signs of economic recovery have mainly involved indicators getting less bad. The factory sector might soon produce one that actually looks pretty good. The Institute for Supply Management is to release its index of manufacturing activity for August on Tuesday morning. Economists think the ISM rose to 50.5 from 48.9 in July. Any reading above 50 indicates an expanding factory sector.More

China to Drop Auto Parts Tariff
AFP
China is expected to scrap higher tariffs on imported auto parts after World Trade Organization last year ruled that they were unfair, state media said. The move would put an end to the four-year-old regulations that increase the levy on the imports if they make up too large a share of the finished home-made automobilesMore

Boeing Resets Clock on 787
Aviation Week
Boeing has revealed that it believes it will not be ready for first flight of the long-delayed 787 program until year's end, setting first deliveries back to fourth quarter 2010, which is at least two-and-one-half years beyond the original schedule. More

GM Wants Russians Excluded from Opel Talks
The Brisbane Times
U.S. auto giant General Motors wants Russian firms barred from taking over its German subsidiary Opel, but Berlin does not agree, according to the weekly Der Spiegel. In its forthcoming issue the weekly, which cites no sources, says that the U.S. government, which now owns 60 percent of GM, wants no Russian participation in the future control of Opel. More

Report Reveals Buying Influences on the Independent Repair Industry
Aftermarket Business
The Marketing Executives Council (MEC) of the Automotive Aftermarket Suppliers Association (AASA) has just released a report which analyzes the buying influences on the independent repair industry. The results of the research reveal that most repair professionals put quality above price and refuse to put their reputation at risk by installing inferior quality parts.More

GM, China FAW Set Light Truck, Van Joint Venture
Market Watch
General Motors China and China FAW Group Corp. have established a joint venture to produce light-duty commercial vehicles in the world's fastest-growing automotive market, the companies said Sunday. The new 50-50 joint venture between will be based in Changchun, in Jilin Province, and will produce trucks and vans, along with some research and development, exports and after-sales support. More

U.S. Second Quarter Earnings Tough to Beat
Reuters
For corporate America and Wall Street, the second quarter may be a tough act to follow. Just as investors were closing the book on second-quarter earnings, Dell drew them back in by accidentally releasing earnings that beat expectations just minutes before the closing bell. More

VW Seeks to Turn Nostalgia into Sales in U.S.
The New York Times
"You have California, the hippies, Woodstock and all the great memories Americans have for VW," Stefan Jacoby, the chief executive of the Volkswagen Group of America, said in an interview. "But when it comes to the conversion - 'Will I actually buy this car?' - we lose our customers." More