(Reuters) - Japan's biggest earthquake on record hit Toyota Motor's quarterly profits harder than expected, prompting renewed calls for the government to do more to support Toyota's pledge to keep building large numbers of cars in Japan. The 9.0 magnitude earthquake that rocked northeastern Japan on March 11 forced Toyota and other Japanese automakers to slash output at home and abroad as they struggled to secure vital parts. The ensuing nuclear disaster and power shortages have compounded problems.

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(Reuters) - EU finance ministers will discuss Greece's debt crisis next week but will not decide on new emergency aid until a mission to strike-hit Athens that began on Wednesday gives its verdict on progress on reforms. While Greek newspapers reported that a deal was in the works for extra European Union and International Monetary Fund loans in exchange for deeper privatizations, euro zone officials have played down expectations of imminent news on a new rescue deal.

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(Reuters) - Japan's government is planning to inject about $62 billion into a fund to help Tokyo Electric Power compensate victims of the crisis at its nuclear plant and save Asia's largest utility from financial ruin. The scheme, set to be approved by the cabinet as early as Thursday, is designed to protect bondholders and will keep Tokyo Electric shares listed, although the utility will be forced to forgo dividend payments for several years, ruling party lawmakers briefed on the plan said on Wednesday.

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(Reuters) - U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday after strong Chinese trade data eased concerns over a slowdown in the world's second-largest economy and pointed to healthy global demand. The utilities sector led gainers on the S&P 500 as investors took more defensive positions on the view that the recovery was not accelerating as quickly.

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(Reuters) - Microsoft Corp plans to buy Internet phone service Skype for $8.5 billion in cash, a rich price as it seeks to regain ground on growing rivals such as Google Inc. Microsoft's interest in the money-losing but popular service highlights a need to gain new customers for its Windows and Office software. Skype has 145 million users on average each month and has gained favor among small business users.

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(Reuters) - U.S. import prices rose at a slower pace in April as petroleum and food cost increases moderated, while a jump in wholesale inventories during March suggested a weak first quarter ended on a firmer note. Import costs rose 2.2 percent in April, slowing from 2.6 percent increase a month earlier, according to Labor Department figures on Tuesday. Still, it was the seventh straight month of gains, and the rise surpassed forecasts for a 1.8 percent increase.

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(Reuters) - German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Europe's reluctant paymaster, said on Tuesday she could only discuss further aid for Greece after EU and IMF officials report on implementation of its existing rescue plan. Speaking to foreign correspondents in Berlin, Merkel did not rule out additional funding for Athens, or a possible fresh easing of the terms on its 110 billion euro ($157 billion) bailout, and she voiced confidence that the German parliament would back a permanent bailout mechanism for the euro zone.

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(Reuters) - U.S. rules on the trading of private securities will be the subject of a hearing on Tuesday by lawmakers concerned that the regulations may be stifling the formation of capital. Goldman Sachs, in a high-profile case, was spooked in January into limiting an offering of Facebook shares to foreign investors out of fear that a sale of the private shares to U.S. customers would violate the rules.

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(Reuters) - China stormed back to post a hefty trade surplus in April as exports hit a record while imports eased more than expected, weighed down by sustained monetary tightening and high commodity prices. The surplus of $11.4 billion, nearly four times greater than expected, comes as China holds high-level economic and strategic talks in Washington and could fuel U.S. criticism that Beijing limits the yuan's appreciation to support its exports industry.

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(Reuters) - Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc's (WEN.N) quarterly profit fell short of Wall Street expectations and the restaurant chain lowered its 2011 profit forecast citing rising beef prices. The No. 3 U.S. fast-food restaurant operator, whose shares fell 2.5 percent, cut its adjusted earnings profit forecast for the year by $15 million on both ends to a range of $330 million to $340 million, but it left its same-store sales forecast unchanged.

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