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LONDON (Reuters) - Pearson (PSON.L: Quote, Profile, Research) , the book and newspaper publisher, remained confident it could hit full-year targets after achieving 8 percent first-half revenue growth, with the lion's share of profit due in the second half. The London-based company, which is the world's biggest publisher of educational materials, reported 1.88 billion pounds of revenue in the six months to June 30, with adjusted profit before tax of 31 million. Both figures were ahead of analyst ...

Toyota, the world's second largest carmaker, is to double production at its factory in Guangzhou to meet growing Chinese demand. Annual production capacity at the plant in southern China will increase to 200,000 cars by year's end, and staff numbers will grow from 2,100 to 3,500. In 2005 Toyota started making its Prius cars in Changchun, north-east China. Its plant in Guangzhou opened in May 2006 in cooperation with Guangzhou Automobile Group. Production boost Toyota expects to make more t ...

TOKYO (Reuters) - The Nikkei was on track to book its highest close in three weeks on Monday, rising 0.78 percent as Canon Inc. (7751.T: Quote, Profile, Research) continued to gain after posting strong quarterly results. Shares of Toyota Motor Corp. (7203.T: Quote, Profile, Research) and other exporters were boosted after U.S. economic data eased concerns about further rate increases in the key ...

This is Money30 July 2006 HOTELS and leisure group Whitbread was under the spotlight today following a report it is in talks to sell its stake in Pizza Hut for £100m. WANT TO KNOW MORE? Whitbread is £3bn target of US giant M&B forks out for Whitbread restaurants OTHER STORIES Ministers to blame for gas crisis Banks to write off £4bn as debt soars Market report: Friday  ...

LONDON (Reuters) - Swiss-based Xstrata (XTA.L: Quote, Profile, Research) is planning a rights issue of up to 2.75 billion pounds if it acquires Canadian miner Falconbridge Ltd (FAL.TO: Quote, Profile, Research) , The Sunday Telegraph reported. The paper said the rights issue could be the second biggest ever in London, topped only by telecoms company BT Group's (BT.L: Quote, Profile, Research) r ...