United Parcel Service Inc. (UPS.N) plans to invest 1 billion euros ($1.06 billion) in Europe to expand its package delivery network, German magazine Wirtschaftswoche reported on Sunday, without citing its sources.

Nearly a quarter of the world's major copper mines are running in the red, even after producers including Codelco [COBRE.UL] and BHP Billiton engage in their deepest cost-cutting in years, according to a Reuters analysis.

Germany's BDI industry association is more optimistic about the prospects for Europe's biggest economy than it was three months ago due to cheap oil, strong private consumption and a weak euro, its president said on Sunday.

Investors will cast a wary eye on the latest gauges of the United States' economic health this week, while troubled Europe shows early signs of turning the corner.

German industrial group Siemens has seen sales in Russia plunge by about half due to the country's economic demise, Bild am Sonntag reported, citing chief executive Joe Kaeser.

German industrial robot maker Kuka is open to further purchases after acquiring Swiss logistics group Swisslog last year, Welt am Sonntag reported, citing chief executive Till Reuter.

China and Afghanistan remain deadlocked over a stalled $3 billion copper mine five months after Beijing demanded royalties be slashed by almost a half, underlining Kabul's struggles to support itself as foreign aid dries up.

Germany's economy minister warned on Saturday against overblowing expectations for an economic boost from a trade deal between the United States and European Union but said the pact was needed to set high common standards for consumers.

Euro zone officials were shocked at Greece's failure to outline plans for structural reforms at last week's talks in Brussels, a German newspaper on Saturday cited participants as saying, adding the Greek representative behaved like a "taxi driver"

Even if it survives the next three months teetering on the brink of bankruptcy, Greece may have blown its best chance of a long-term debt deal by alienating its euro zone partners when it most needed their support.

Volkswagen (VOWG_p.DE) has plunged into a full-blown leadership crisis after Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn let it be known on Saturday he will fight for his job even though the carmaker's chairman has reportedly withdrawn confidence in the CEO.

Bombardier Inc is exploring a possible sale of all or part of its railway business, which bankers value at up to $5 billion, among options to pay for huge cost overruns in its aircraft business, sources familiar with the matter said.

French media group Vivendi (VIV.PA), with cash to spend after selling a chunk of its business, has no plans to bid for smaller rival Lagardere (LAGA.PA).

China's economy faces increased downward pressure, the premier has said, as the country prepares to announce first-quarter economic growth.

The China-led Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) will be lean, clean and green, its interim chief said, playing down concerns over transparency and standards governing the institution.

Spotify AB is nearing a deal to raise $400 million, valuing the music streaming service provider at $8.4 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Technology companies pose a competitive threat to established lenders, the head of Royal Bank of Canada said on Friday, adding he was keen to work with start-ups to improve the company's mobile offerings.

Apple Inc has approached more than a dozen musicians, including British band Florence and the Machine, in an effort to sign exclusive deals for some of their music to be streamed on Beats, Bloomberg reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

The United States is planning to impose a major new regulation on offshore oil and gas drilling to try to prevent the kind of explosions that caused the catastrophic BP Plc (BP.L) oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing Obama administration officials.

General Electric Co will shed most of its finance unit and return as much as $90 billion to shareholders as it becomes a “simpler” industrial business instead of an unwieldy hybrid of banking and manufacturing.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi said on Friday he will consider new measures to stimulate growth in the coming weeks after his government passed its three-year financial and economic planning document (DEF).

Federal Reserve official Jeffrey Lacker on Friday repeated his call for the central bank to consider hiking interest rates in June, and said there was no shame in adjusting them lower again if economic data demanded it.

With earnings season underway, Wall Street is temporarily putting the U.S. Federal Reserve and macroeconomic policy on the back burner in favor of a focus on individual company results and forecasts for a pulse on the economy's health.

Customers preordering Apple Inc's smartwatch on Friday will have to wait at least a month for delivery, an early sign of strong demand for company chief Tim Cook's first new major product.

General Electric Co projects revenue growth in the high single digits for Latin American in 2015 despite difficulties in major markets such as Brazil and Venezuela, the company's chief executive for the region said on Thursday.

When it opened in 1963, Ghana's oil refinery symbolized pride and hope for the first African country to escape colonial rule. Now the plant stands idle in a sign of the economic shadow that has crept over one of the continent's brightest stars.

Two leading Russian film directors are seeking state support to set up a domestic chain of cafes to compete with Western fast food restaurants such as McDonald's, a newspaper said on Thursday.

Ukraine's Naftogaz [NAFTO.UL] Chief Executive Andriy Kobolev will seek rapid progress on a deal to secure gas from Russia for the next 12 months in talks brokered by the European Commission in Berlin next week.

U.S. auto maker Ford Motor Co (F.N) will take control of its Russian venture with Sollers (SVAV.MM) and provide it with additional financial support, the Russian firm said on Friday.

U.S. import prices fell in March as rising petroleum costs were offset by declining prices for other goods, a sign of muted inflation that supports the view the Federal Reserve will probably not raise interest rates in June.