CHINA

Stocks sold off late in the session to end with modest gains on Tuesday as Citigroup's steep drop in profit gave investors a reason to unload bank shares.

Veteran dissident has been indicted by Chinese authorities on charges of attempting to subvert the state for writing a poem urging people to gather to defend their freedoms, his lawyer said Tuesday, the latest in a string of indictments or trials of popular dissidents this year.

Stocks advanced on Tuesday but sharply pared gains late in the session after Citigroup's steep drop in profit gave investors a reason to unload bank shares.

European shares hit a 5-1/2-month high on Tuesday before closing above a key resistance level, boosted by automobile and mining stocks after Chinese economic data raised hopes the country would further ease its monetary policy to stimulate growth.

The start of the 2012 brought the highest January gas prices in history, and analysts warn that prices could keep climbing as the warm-weather driving seasons approaches.

Toronto's main stock index was slightly lower on Tuesday as losses from gold miners offset the impact of an early surge in commodity prices that were boosted by solid economic data from China and Germany.

U.S. stocks gained on Tuesday as brighter sentiment about China's growth prospects overshadowed Europe's recent credit downgrades and a mixed bag of big bank earnings.

Russian internet company Mail.ru has launched its answer to U.S. microblogging site Twitter, seeking to expand its business into social instant messaging and emulate the success of China's Weibo.

The gradual shift towards big cities has been a long time in coming

Stocks rose on Tuesday as improved sentiment about growth prospects in China overshadowed recent credit downgrades in Europe and a mixed bag of big bank earnings.

Stocks rose on Tuesday as improved sentiment about growth prospects in China overshadowed recent credit downgrades in Europe and a mixed bag of big bank earnings.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York State showed growth picked up in January, rising to the highest level in nine months as new orders and employment improved, the New York Federal Reserve said in a report on Tuesday.

During last night's Republican debate in South Carolina, Congressman Ron Paul was booed for advocating the Golden Rule in foreign policy.

A gauge of manufacturing in New York State showed growth picked up in January, rising to the highest level in nine months as new orders and employment improved, the New York Federal Reserve said in a report on Tuesday.

Aerospace group EADS batted away concerns over the financing needed to maintain a record wave of jet deliveries this year, as bumper orders from its Airbus unit and a major Japanese leasing deal provided fresh evidence of Asia's rising economic power.

Stocks gained in early trading on Tuesday as Chinese data fueled the belief the government may move to stimulate growth, overshadowing recent credit downgrades in Europe and a mixed bag of big bank earnings.

China's economy expanded at its weakest pace in 2-1/2 years in the latest quarter, with the sagging real estate and export sectors heralding a sharper slowdown in coming months and fresh pro-growth measures from the government.

Stocks were set to open higher on Tuesday as Chinese data fueled the belief the government may move to stimulate growth, overshadowing recent credit downgrades in Europe and a mixed bag of bank earnings.

China shares on Tuesday surged 4.2 percent, their biggest one-day gain in more than 27 months, after Beijing reported that the world's second-largest economy grew faster than expected in the last quarter of 2011, although at its weakest pace in 2-1/2 years.

Japan's Nikkei average edged higher on Tuesday and recovered its footing after better-than-expected Chinese economic data and solid demand at a French treasury bill auction reassured investors in the wake of European debt downgrades.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday as investors looked to corporate profits as earnings season picks up and Chinese data fueled the belief the government may move to stimulate growth.