Industries see increased activity during August

WASHINGTON -- Industrial activity edged up by 0.1 percent in August as declines in utility and mining output tempered a gain in factory production. The small rise reported by the Federal Reserve Wednesday followed a 0.6 percent gain in July.

OPEC's planned increase labeled symbolic gesture

VIENNA, Austria -- OPEC will raise its oil production target by 1 million barrels a day later this year in a move widely viewed as more symbolic than significant, given that the cartel has been exceeding the new output limit since the start of the year.

Coca-Cola head: company must start working harder

ATLANTA -- Coca-Cola's top executive said Wednesday the world's largest beverage maker needs to work harder, better execute its business strategy and improve its culture or third-quarter per-share income will drop at least 24 percent from a year ago.

Morgan Chase to bring back outsourced workers

NEW YORK -- J. P. Morgan Chase & Co. says it will rehire 4,000 workers whose jobs it had outsourced to IBM, bucking a corporate trend in information technology. The move ends an outsourcing agreement hailed as "the largest of its kind."

Delta's annual report hints at 'near term' crash

ATLANTA -- Delta Air Lines Inc. revised its annual report on Wednesday to reflect growing financial difficulties and the possibility of seeking bankruptcy protection "in the near term." The airline's auditor, Deloitte & Touche, reissued its report.

German computer maker pays fine for price fixing

WASHINGTON -- German computer chipmaker Infineon Technologies AG has agreed to plead guilty to price fixing and will pay a $160 million fine, the Justice Department announced Wednesday.

-- From wire reports