The Chinese government on Thursday cleared the USD1.3 billion car-making joint venture between Dongfeng Motor Group and France's Renault. Under the deal, the two companies will manufacture 150,000 multi-purpose vehicles annually.

Australia-based news firm APN News & Media has agreed to exit from its remaining stake in outdoor advertising company APN outdoor for USD69 million, prompting a 5% increase in its shares.

India-based mobile operator Bharti Airtel has raised EUR750 million in a bond issue that received bids worth EUR3.8 billion. The bond issue aimed to refinance the company's existing debt.

General Motors (GM) is investing USD11 million to build a new source of energy for its Fort Wayne Assembly Plant, a move that will save the company USD5 million a year.

Top executives of shipping companies Compania Sud Americana de Vapores and Hapag-Lloyd were reportedly negotiating a merger deal. Vapores has suffered losses and is seeking for ways to become more competitive.

NRG Yield Inc, a unit of NRG Energy Inc, has agreed to purchase the assets of Nebraska-based Energy Systems Company for USD120 million in cash.

China Mobile Ltd. has reportedly entered a deal with Cupertino-based tech giant Apple Inc. to offer iPhones to its more than 700 million subscribers. China Mobile earlier this week received its 4G license from the Chinese government.

European private equity company Bridgepoint has agreed to acquire pre-university training firm Cambridge Education Group (CEG) from London-based investor Palamon Capital Partners for GBP185 million.

Westpac Bank has received approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to purchase the Australian assets of Lloyd's Banking Group for USD1.45 billion.

Germany-based second screen TV startup Wywy announced that it has secured USD7 million in Series B funding for its expansion to Europe and the United States.

China saw 1015 venture capital/private equity (VC/PE) investment deals clinched from January to November with a disclosed value of 72.66 billion US dollars

Glendon Capital Management, a spinout by British bank Barclays, is expected to launch its first fund in the first half of next year. The new firm is reportedly looking to raise USD1 billion for its debut fund.

California-based pharmaceutical company PaxVax Inc raised USD22 million in a Series B funding round for the late-stage trial of its single-dose oral cholera vaccine for travelers.

Private equity firm TDR Capital will sell half of its entire stake in insurance company Phoenix Group for about GBP127 million. TDR will sell 18 million shares out of its total 35.9 million shares in Phoenix.

A study by The Institute for College Access and Success found that America's class of 2012 graduated with an average of USD29,400 in student loan debt. Student debt levels, however, varies according to state and geographical regions.

Cambridge-based anti-obesity drug developer Zafgen Inc bagged another USD45 million in a Series E funding round today, bringing its total funding to date to USD114 million.

General Motors Corporation LLC is looking to put up for sale the last of its holdings in Ally Financial Inc. via a private placement. Ally, GM's financing arm, is reportedly eyeing an initial public offering.

Venture capital trust Time:Reboot VCT plans to raise around GBP20 million by the end of April 2014 to invest exclusively in firms run by UK military veterans.

San Francisco-based business software manufacturer Intuit bought document hosting and sharing service Santa Monica-based Docstoc for an undisclosed amount to power up its small business division.

Fondo Strategio Italiano, one of the bidders for a 20% stake in Versace, is willing to put in a bid valuing the Italian fashion house at EUR1.1 billion. Versace earlier said that it seeks a valuation of at least EUR1 billion.

China Cinda Asset Management Co Ltd, the country's biggest bad debt manager, is set to raise $2.5 billion after pricing its Hong Kong IPO at the top of the marketing range, a source with direct knowledge of the plans said on Thursday.

Switzerland's Credit Suisse is selling its private customers business to German Bethmann Bank. Under the deal, Bethmann will take over Credit Suisse's 9,000 clients with EUR10 billion assets in Germany.

In a 254-159 vote, the US House of Representatives passed a legislation exempting private equity firms from provisions in the 2010 Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform Law. However, a similar action is not expected from the Democrat-dominated US Senate.

Molex Incorporated Announces Receipt of Final Merger Control Clearance for Merger with Koch Industries, Inc.

Owners of Hong Kong lender Wing Hang Bank Ltd. had received preliminary bids for its sale. It has engaged Goldman Sachs Group Inc. to advise it on the deal. Wing Hang plans to sell the company for USD4.5 billion.

German medical supplies manufacturer Gerresheimer on Wednesday confirmed that it is no longer vying for UK-based Rexam's healthcare packaging unit. The company said the healthcare business did not fulfill its acquisition requirements.

Poland's Siodemka, one of the country's biggest delivery firms, is planning to list on the Warsaw Stock Exchange. 18 companies have already debuted in the Polish bourse this year.

Nine Entertainment Co., Australia's second-largest media company, seeks to raise AUD643 million (USD582 million) in its initial public offering. If successful, the deal could give Nine a market capitalization of AUD1.93 billion.

Denmark-based pension fund PensionDanmark is set to invest GBP153 million in six onshore wind farms of Falck Renewables, in a deal that will give the Danish firm a 49% stake in the energy sites in Wales and Scotland.

Real estate major Shui On Land Ltd. is divesting its entire stake in the company that operates the Taipingqiao project in Shanghai for USD545 million. The Chinese property company is selling its assets to repay debt and improve its financial position.