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• Auto Sales Start the Year With a Bang

  

  If January is any indication, 2013 could be another big year for auto sales in the U.S.

• UPDATE 2-Toyota to recall 1 mln vehicles for airbag, wiper glitches

  TOKYO, Jan 30- Toyota Motor Corp will recall 1.1 million cars globally for two separate defects, including 752,000 Corolla and Corolla Matrix vehicles in the United States to fix airbags that could be deployed inadvertently, the automaker said on Wednesday.

• Chinese Firm Wins A123 Despite US Tech Transfer Fears

  

  China's largest auto parts maker won U.S. government approval to buy A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries that was funded with U.S. government money, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

• Platinum Equity seeks buyer for Keystone Automotive-sources

  NEW YORK, Jan 29- Private equity firm Platinum Equity is exploring a sale of Keystone Automotive Operations, which makes specialty auto parts such as grill guards, roof racks and superchargers that make cars faster and sleeker, three sources familiar with the matter said.

• UPDATE 1-Chinese firm wins A123 despite U.S. tech transfer fears

  *Electric car battery maker A123 funded by U.S. government. Jan 29- China's largest auto parts maker won U.S. government approval to buy A123 Systems Inc, a bankrupt maker of electric car batteries that was funded with U.S. government money, a source familiar with the situation said on Tuesday.

• NRF sees slower sales growth in 2013

  The National Retail Federation forecast includes sales at most traditional retail categories including non-store, auto parts and accessories stores, discounters, department stores, grocery stores, and specialty stores, and excludes sales at automotive dealers, gasoline stations, and restaurants.

• Ahead of the Bell: BorgWarner

  NEW YORK-- A Sterne Agee analyst on Monday cut his rating for BorgWarner Inc. to "Neutral" from "Buy," predicting that weaker vehicle demand in Europe will slow the auto parts supplier's growth at least for the near term.

• BAY STREET-Canadian car parts suppliers set for high gear

  TORONTO, Jan 27- All systems are go for Canada's auto parts sector. The fortunes of Magna International Inc, Linamar Corp and Martinrea International Inc are tightly tied to the Detroit Three and the health of the U.S. vehicle market.

• How Corporate America 'Squeezes' Out Its Survival

  

  After four years of belt-tightening, American companies are good at squeezing more profit out of every dollar of sales - a skill that chief executives regard as critical in the face of an uncertain economy.

• ANALYSIS-US companies offset weak sales growth with fat margins

  *Honeywell, McDonald's profit despite shaky sales. McDonald's Corp was able to beat Wall Street's profit forecasts by keeping its locations open on Christmas and rolling out the cult favorite McRib sandwich in December.

• Mich. OKs grants for $1B in business expansions

  Rick Snyder announced Wednesday the Michigan Strategic Fund approved the performance-based grants for projects across the Lower Peninsula. Highlights include expansions by Japanese auto parts supplier Denso Corp. It plans to invest about $150 million in its operations in Battle Creek and the Detroit suburb of Southfield to create about 440 jobs total.

• Peugeot plans battery-free hybrid to rival Toyota

  Peugeot, which is cutting more than 10,000 jobs as it struggles to stem losses and expand overseas, said the technology would be launched around 2016, with vehicles priced below 20,000 euros.

• UPDATE 2-Johnson Controls outlook disappoints, shares drop

  Jan 18- Johnson Controls Inc forecast a smaller-than-expected profit for the current quarter due to lower auto production in Europe, sending the company's shares down more than 3 percent. Johnson Controls' stock was down 3.3 percent to $30.91 on the New York Stock Exchange.

• UPDATE 1-Johnson Controls profit falls 17 percent

  Jan 18- Johnson Controls Inc's quarterly profit fell 17 percent and the largest U.S. auto parts supplier forecast further declines, citing weakness in Europe.

• Johnson Controls posts lower profit

  Jan 18- Johnson Controls Inc's quarterly profit fell 17 percent and the largest U.S. auto parts supplier forecast further declines, citing weakness in Europe. Net income fell to $354 million, or 52 cents per share, in the first quarter, from $424 million, or 62 cents per share, a year earlier.

• Wilbur Ross in no rush to take IAC public

  DETROIT, Jan 16- Billionaire investor Wilbur Ross wants International Automotive Components, the auto supplier he controls, to go public to get access to cheaper capital, but he added he was in no rush for an initial public offering.

• UPDATE 1-Lear to buy back more shares, offer notes

  Jan 14- Auto parts maker Lear Corp nearly doubled its share buyback program and launched plans to boost liquidity by $1 billion through a notes offering and a new credit facility. The company increased its share repurchase program by $800 million to $1.5 billion, saying its shares were undervalued.

• US 'green-car' maker Fisker seeks salvation in China -sources

  *Fisker courts Asian investors as China bolsters EV goals. BEIJING, Jan 11- Top executives at Fisker Automotive Inc, maker of the sleek Karma plug-in hybrid, are scouring Asia- in particular, China- for funding and strategic partners that are viewed as crucial to the automaker's success, four people familiar with the matter said.

• This Lexus at CES 'Sees' Hazards Down the Road

  

  Toyota's AASRV Lexus demonstrates a variety of vehicle safety technologies in development, from seeing a potential problem 500 feet away to knowing the difference between a red and green light.

• European shares dip, banks surge on Basel news

  At 0924 GMT, the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares was down 0.1 percent at 1,165.77, while the UK's FTSE 100 index was down 0.3 percent, Germany's DAX index down 0.4 percent, and France's CAC 40 down 0.4 percent. UniCredit surged 4.2 percent, Societe Generale added 2.5 percent, BNP Paribas gained 2.1 percent, and Barclays rose 3.5 percent.