Canadian firm Research in Motion (RIM), the maker of the Blackberry smartphone, has been named the worldÔÇÖs fastest growing firm in Fortune magazineÔÇÖs annual guide.  The firmÔÇÖs success is due in part to the release of its latest Blackberry model, the Curve, which in the three months to June this year was the top-selling smartphone in the US, claiming more than 50 percent market share. This year is the first time that Fortune has opened the list to non-US companies.

HSBC, EuropeÔÇÖs largest bank, is in advanced talks with Chinese firm Industrial Securities over a joint banking venture that could be formed as early as this year.

Satellite navigation manufacturer Garmin is in talks to buy UK marine navigation manufacturer Raymarine.  Raymarine released a statement following a weekend of press speculation, which confirmed that it is ÔÇ£in┬ápreliminary discussions┬áwith a number of parties, including Garmin,┬áwhich may or may not lead to a sale of the Company.ÔÇØ┬á Portsmouth, UK-based Raymarine is one of the world's best known marine electronics firms, supplying GPS, autopilot, chartplotting and fish-finding technology.

US satellite navigation manufacturer Garmin is in talks to buy UK marine navigation manufacturer Raymarine.

US automaker Chrysler is considering production of Fiat 500 compact cars at its plant in Mexico, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal. Detroit, Michigan-based Chrysler, which formed a partnership with ItalyÔÇÖs largest car maker Fiat as part of its bankruptcy deal in June, is considering a plant in Toluca, Mexico for the manufacture of its compact Fiat 500.

Royal Dutch Shell, EuropeÔÇÖs biggest oil company, has reportedly made an offer of $2.5 billion for Australian coal seam gas producer Arrow Energy.

General Motors chief Fritz Henderson has said a new $43 million plant in Michigan will assemble battery packs for the company's forthcoming Volt hybrid.  The plant will be based in Brownstown Township, 20 miles southwest of Detroit, and will employ around 100 people, the company said.  GM will be leasing the 160,000-square-foot building that will house the plant.  The investment will include the cost of renovating the premises, as well as the purchase of new machinery and specialized tools.

Volkswagen, EuropeÔÇÖs biggest carmaker, is to pay ┬ú2.8 billion (Ôé¼3.3 billion) for a 42 per cent stake in Porsche's main production division, bringing the two German companies one step closer to full integration.

Microsoft, the worldÔÇÖs largest software maker, and Nokia, the biggest mobile phone maker, have signed an agreement to put Microsoft Office and instant messaging services onto Nokia smartphones.

Oil giant Royal Dutch Shell is to enter a UK government-sponsored race to build a carbon capture and storage plant in Britain.