CHRYSLER, NISSAN POST STRONG U.S. SALES

Chrysler Group and Nissan Motor both posted U.S. auto sales growth of 19% in September, the latest signs of strong demand among buyers.

GENERAL MILLS TO ELIMINATE 700 TO 800 SALARIED JOBS

General Mills said it would eliminate 700 to 800 salaried jobs, adding to a similar number of factory job cuts it announced recently as the maker of Wheaties cereal and Yoplait yogurt tries to cut costs amid flagging sales.

TWO EU AIRPORTS, FOUR AIRLINES TO REPAY ILLEGAL AID

A German and a Belgium airport plus four airlines will be required to pay back millions of euros in illegal state support. The affected airlines include TUIFly, Ryanair, Meridiana and Germanwings, a subsidiary of Lufthansa.

ADIDAS LAUNCHES $1.9B RETURN PROGRAM

Adidas launched a $1.9 billion shareholder return program through to the end of 2017 in an effort to assuage disgruntled shareholders following a profit warning and dissatisfaction with the company's turnaround efforts.

FRANCE SELLS 1.9% ORANGE STAKE FOR EUR584M

The French government sold a 1.9% stake in the country's former telecommunications monopoly Orange in a private placement for 584 million euros or $736 million.

U.K. REGULATOR INVESTIGATES TESCO

The U.K. Financial Conduct Authority has notified Tesco that it has launched a full investigation into the U.K.-based supermarket's recent GBP250 million ($405.7 million) overstatement of expected profit.

SAINSBURY POSTS 3RD QUARTERLY SALES DECLINE

J Sainsbury posted a third successive quarterly decline in sales and warned on its second-half sales performance, amid stiff competition among U.K. supermarket chains.

UBM AGREES TO BUY ADVANSTAR FOR $972M

U.K. media company UBM said it has agreed to buy Advanstar Communications, a U.S. events company best known for producing the Magic Marketplace fashion event, for $972 million in cash.

EUROPEAN CAR MARKET SET FOR SLOW RECOVERY

The European car market will recover slightly in 2014 after bottoming out last year after five consecutive annual declines, the chief executive of Renault said.

ZALANDO STOCK DEBUT DISAPPOINTS

Online retailer Zalando SE's stock market debut was described as disappointing by analysts after the online retailer's shares swiftly shed their opening gains. The company raised EUR605 million ($765 million) from the IPO.

SOFTBANK TO SELL SONY FLAGSHIP PHONE

SoftBank will carry Sony's latest smartphone, the two companies confirmed on Wednesday, possibly giving the heavily diversified electronics maker's struggling mobile business a lift.

GLENCORE SUSPENDS ZAMBIA COPPER PROJECTS OVER TAX ROW

London-listed Glencore said that it has suspended some of its planned $800 million copper projects in Zambia after the government withheld at least $200 million in tax refunds.