The indebted state developer behind Dubai's man-made islands says it has completed a long-awaited financial restructuring and will issue over $1 billion in Islamic bonds to some of its creditors.

Nakheel said Wednesday that the Islamic bonds, known as sukuk, would be issued on Thursday.

Rental car company Hertz Global Holdings says it plans to partner with General Electric in offering electric vehicles in China and expanding the charging networks needed to run them.

An agreement to be signed in Shanghai's "Auto City" of Anting on Wednesday calls for building 770 charging stations in major Chinese cities including Shanghai and Beijing, said Richard Broome, Hertz's senior vice president for corporate affairs.

Private sector economic activity in the Eurozone stagnated in August, with a closely-watched survey showing only marginal growth overall and a switch into negative territory for manufacturing.

Eurozone growth remained stuck at two-year low, with the Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) leading indicator, compiled by London-based researchers Markit, logging 51.1 points, unchanged from July.

World stock markets regained some vitality Tuesday as investors hung hopes on action from the Federal Reserve to keep the U.S. from sliding back into recession.

Oil prices rose to near $86 a barrel as traders scaled back expectations that Libyan oil would be quickly restored to world markets as fighting raged in Tripoli between rebels and forces loyal to Gadhafi. The dollar weakened against the yen and the euro.

A chance meeting in an airport lobby between the top executives of Ford Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. has evolved into a deal between the auto giants to jointly develop a gas-electric hybrid engine for pickup trucks and sport utility vehicles.

The companies signed the agreement Monday to share development costs, saying they want to make the technology more affordable for customers and bring it to market faster. Many details have yet to be worked out, but both said their vehicles would remain unique even if they share the same drive systems.

BP said on Monday that it would seek to return to Libya to continue its exploration program "when conditions allow" as Libyan leader Moammer Gadhafi faces imminent defeat.

"We intend to resume our activities and return to the country when conditions allow," a BP spokesman told Agence France Presse.

Gold hit a record high near $1,900 an ounce in Monday trade as lingering fears of a fresh global recession caused dealers to snap up the precious metal regarded as a safe-haven investment.

Gold struck an all-time peak of $1,894.80 on the London Bullion Market, beating its high of $1,878.15 recorded last Friday.

Brent crude fell to near $105 a barrel Monday as Libyan rebels captured most of the country's capital, boosting hopes the OPEC nation's oil exports could resume soon.

In London, Brent crude for October delivery was down $3.22 per barrel to $105.40 on the ICE Futures exchange.

World stocks swung between gains and losses Monday, as hopes the Federal Reserve might take action to keep the U.S. from slipping back into recession offset fears of a global slowdown.

Brent crude fell to near $106 a barrel as Libyan rebels captured most of Tripoli, boosting hopes the OPEC nation's oil exports could resume soon. The dollar was stronger against the yen but weaker against the euro.

A debate over which eurozone countries can demand collateral from Greece in exchange for loan guarantees threatens to derail the quick approval of Athens' second bailout program, experts warn.

"Finland has said right from the beginning that it would not back any loans without collateral, and if this arrangement is no longer acceptable to other nations, then it takes us back to square one," Teija Tiilikainen, head of the Finnish Institute of International Affairs, told Agence France Presse.