PROJECT EXPORTING GAS TO JAPAN SET TO GET FINAL GREEN LIGHT 

The partners in a project that will ship natural gas to Japan from Louisiana plan to give the final go-ahead next week after securing $7.5 billion in loans, according to people familiar with the deal. (published 0346 GMT)

 
 
NEWMONT MINING CORP. TO INVEST UP TO $1 BILLION TO DEVELOP SURINAME GOLD MINE -- UPDATE 

Newmont Mining Corp. plans to invest up to $1 billion in cash to develop the Merian gold mine in Suriname. (published 0007 GMT)

 
 
PG&E CHARGED WITH OBSTRUCTING INVESTIGATION, BREAKING SAFETY RULES 

A federal grand jury added charges late Tuesday to a criminal case against PG&E Corp. over a fatal natural-gas pipeline explosion in San Bruno, Calif., in 2010. (published 0232 GMT)

 
 
STANDARD CHARTERED TO BOOST FINANCING FOR AFRICA POWER PROJECTS 

Standard Chartered PLC said it is more than doubling its financing commitment for power projects in Africa to $5 billion from $2 billion previously. (published 0401 GMT)

 
 
HOLCIM 2Q EARNINGS MISS EXPECTATIONS; ON TRACK TO LAFARGE TIE-UP 

Holcim Ltd. Wednesday reported second-quarter earnings that missed expectations but reiterated it is on track to complete its tie-up with French rival Lafarge SA. (published 0534 GMT)

 
 
BBVA NET PROFIT FALLS SHARPLY 

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria SA, Spain's No. 2 bank by market value, said Wednesday its second-quarter net profit fell to EUR704 million, down from EUR1.1 billion a year earlier. (published 0556 GMT)

 
 
UCB POSTS SHARP RISE IN 1H PROFITS 

Belgian pharmaceutical company UCB reported a sharp rise in profits for the first half of 2014 on Wednesday, driven by higher sales of three of the group's blockbuster medicines. (published 0543 GMT)

 
 
AUSTRALIAN GOLD MINER REGIS EXPECTS FY LOSS AMID WRITEDOWNS 

Mining company Regis Resources Ltd. expects to record an annual loss after a slide in gold prices and writedowns against its Australian operations and projects of up to 280 million Australian dollars . (published 0023 GMT)