The chairman of Chinese computer giant Lenovo pledged Thursday to make the company the world's third-biggest smartphone seller following an acquisition binge as the firm announced a 30 percent profit surge.

Lenovo, already the world's largest personal computer vendor, snapped up US telecom firm Motorola Mobility for $2.91 billion and IBM's low-end server business for $2.3 billion within days of each other last month.

The rate of inflation in Germany, Europe's biggest economy, inched lower in January, final official data showed on Thursday.

The cost of living rose by 1.3 percent on a 12-month basis this month, compared with 1.4 percent in December, the federal statistics office Destatis said in a statement.

The U.S. avoided a devastating debt default as the Senate passed legislation to allow the government to borrow money to pay its bills — a major win for President Barack Obama after years of fiscal battles with Republicans.

The relatively smooth passage Wednesday comes as most members of Congress face elections in November. Republicans have been less confrontational after a 16-day partial government shutdown last year sent their poll numbers sliding and chastened the party's conservative tea party faction.

The International Monetary Fund said Wednesday that Iran's economy faces deep structural weaknesses as intensified nuclear sanctions have added to other domestic challenges to the government.

But it also said that prospects for the country to return to growth over the coming year have improved with the interim agreement in nuclear talks with global powers -- though those prospects "remain highly uncertain".

French bank Societe Generale on Wednesday said it tripled net profit last year thanks to an improved balance sheet and would more than double the dividend payout to shareholders.

Shares in the bank, France's third biggest by assets, soared nearly six percent on the news, leading gains on the Paris CAC 40 index which was up just 0.41 percent in midday trading.

Canada's Conservative government plans on entering an election next year with a surplus.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty unveiled a federal budget on Tuesday that projects a $6.9 billion surplus in 2015. Prime Minister Stephen Harper, first elected in 2006, is expected to offer tax cuts during the election.

Toyota on Wednesday announced a global recall of 1.9 million Prius hybrid cars because of a fault that could cause the vehicle to slow down suddenly, in the latest safety blow to the Japanese auto giant.

The company said it decided on the call-back -- the biggest for the eco-friendly vehicle -- after the discovery of problems with software used to control a power converter that posed a risk to drivers.

Airbus' flagship A380 got a fresh lift Wednesday after leasing firm Amedeo firmed up its order for 20 of the superjumbo aircraft in a deal worth $8.3 billion.

The two firms signed the purchase agreement at the Singapore Airshow.

France runs a "significant risk" of overshooting its budget deficit targets and even the government's latest plans will fall short of meeting EU limits, national auditors warned on Tuesday.

The public accounts court said that a slow start made to cutting spending meant that the government would have to cut even deeper than the targeted 50 billion euros ($68.0 billion) in the 2015-2017 period.

Swiss food giant Nestle is to sell a chunk of its shares in French cosmetics giant L'Oreal, the firms said on Tuesday, in a signal that Nestle has dropped the option of a takeover.

L'Oreal is to buyback a stake of 8.0 percent from Nestle which currently owns 29.4 percent.