WASHINGTON - US aerospace giant Boeing said on Thursday it was further delaying the launch of its 787 Dreamliner because of disruptions from a machinists strike and production problems.

Boeing moved the first flight of the commercial plane into the second quarter of 2009 and the first delivery into the first quarter of 2010.

NEW DELHI - INDIA plans a second economic stimulus package to fight flagging growth, a minister said on Thursday, amid growing pessimism about prospects for Asia's third-largest economy.

The announcement came after authorities announced last weekend US$4 billion (S$6 billion) in extra spending and interest rate cuts to try to shield India from the global financial crisis and the fallout from last month's deadly attacks on Mumbai that have further shaken economic confidence.

OIL prices rose more than 4 per cent on Thursday to above US$45 (S$67) a barrel as investors looked past an energy watchdog's warnings that global demand is sliding sharply and focused on expectations of a big Opec production cut next week.

A weaker dollar and news that the US Congress was one step closer to approving US$14 billion in loans to Detroit's automakers also helped boost prices.