VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Toyota decides to drop Takata as their airbag supplier last week. Previously, other automakers have ditched Takata as their airbag suppliers as well. This gives a devastating blow to Takata, whose shares drop 25% after series of incidents related to airbags defect.

Japan's big trading houses, stung by large asset writedowns in the wake of the global commodities slump, plan to step up asset sales and wind back investment spending by up to $10 billion over the next three years.

Chrysler Group will begin replacing potentially defective air bag inflators made by Takata Corp in more than 371,000 U.S. vehicles in early December, according to documents filed by the automaker with U.S. safety regulators.

Daimler has struck a cooperation deal with Nissan Motor Co. on transporter vans, deepening a strategic alliance between the German and Japanese automakers.

The safety recall in parts of the United States of millions of vehicles with potentially defective air bags made by Japan's Takata Corp (7312.T) may expand to include General Motors Co (GM.N), according to documents filed this week with U.S. regulators.

Citigroup Inc (C.N) on Friday told bidders for its Japanese retail banking operations that it was looking to sell its profitable Diners Club card business in Japan with the retail unit, sources with knowledge of the matter said.

Japanese automaker Mitsubishi's (7211.T) subsidiary in Venezuela has halted operations due to a delay in the import of parts for assembly, a union official said on Friday.

CFAO Auto Group has been looking at the potential car market in Nigeria following other multinational companies including Toyota, Nissan and Kia's entrance to the country through local partnership with distributors for car assembly and production.

Mergers under review by the European Commission and a brief guide to the EU merger process