OHIO

OHIO

PNC vows to help charities more if deal is approved

CLEVELAND — A bank seeking to buy Cleveland-based National City Corp. is promising to increase charitable giving in areas National City serves.

Pittsburgh-based PNC Financial Services Group Inc. said Wednesday it expects to surpass National City’s current annual charitable contributions and community sponsorships with $28 million of support in 2009. That betters by about $5 million National City’s 2008 giving through its foundation. But PNC says its charitable commitment is contingent on the acquisition’s completion.

WORLD

Reports: GM to increase stake in SAIC, Wuling

SHANGHAI, China — General Motors Corp. plans to increase its stake in its thriving joint venture with Chinese automakers SAIC and Wuling Automobile, media reports said Wednesday, citing a senior SAIC executive.

Spokesmen for GM and partners SAIC and Wuling refused to comment on the reports in China Business News and other state-run newspapers citing SAIC Motor Corp.’s chairman Hu Maoyan as saying that GM was seeking to raise its 34 percent stake in the joint venture. Hu, who was speaking at an industry forum in the northern city of Tianjin, did not give any details.

It was unclear how GM, which says it needs U.S. government help to weather current hard times, would finance such a move, or even if it would be able to persuade either of its partners to sell.

Associated Press