UNITED KINGDOM

Barclays Plc chief executive said on Tuesday that he would not have recommended the purchase of Lehman Brothers' core U.S. brokerage business if the deal did not show a gain for Barclays, or at least an even exchange.

The Aussie broke past 0.8850 US early offshore last night after China's announcement saw commodities prices climb to a five week high.

Latin American currencies firmed on Tuesday as stronger-than-expected German economic data offset concerns that Europe's efforts to confront debt troubles may crimp global economic growth.

Germany, France and Britain announced plans on Tuesday to introduce a bank levy to help meet the costs of the financial crisis, without waiting for a G20 summit this week, underscoring a rift with key partners.

Benchmark bank-to-bank euro lending costs edged higher on Tuesday as demand for funds increased before the quarter end and the expiry of the European Central Bank's 442 billion euro one-year refinancing operation.

Britain's economy will grow more slowly than previously envisaged this year and next as a result of fiscal tightening but will subsequently pick up speed, finance minister George Osborne said on Tuesday.

Weaker commodity stocks and banks pushed Britain's top share index lower early on Tuesday, after gains in the previous session, as confidence prompted by China's decision to give its currency more flexibility faded.

Asian stocks and commodities retreated on Tuesday as wary investors took profits from a rally ignited by China's weekend decision to give its currency more flexibility.

Asian stocks retreated on Tuesday as investors booked profits a day after China's weekend decision to give its currency more flexibility triggered a risk rally.

The AUD has opened lower this morning currently trading around USD0.8765 as profit taking entered the market following the announcement from the Chinese central bank regarding the Chinese Yuan.

Press release service Business Wire said on Monday it will no longer accept releases by email after it inadvertently distributed a hoax statement involving a small pharmaceutical company, days after its main rival was burned in a similar fashion.

Commodity currencies rallied on Friday, with the Aussie advancing to a new monthly high reaching 0.8712 USD.

Upgrades to a wastewater treatment plant in Colorado helped filter out gender-bending chemicals that were affecting fish, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Japanese carmaker Toyota UK and French utility EDF are starting three year trial of the Plug-In hybrid Prius car in Britain, the companies said on Monday.

When Philip Mould began as a professional art dealer 22 years ago, the buying and selling of high-end artwork was confined to a small group of well-versed art historians who scoured the globe in search of masterpieces.

BP is eyeing relatively modest new bank lending lines and is not planning bond sales or new increases in asset sales to fund its Gulf of Mexico oil spill clean-up, sources familiar with the company's thinking said on Monday.

For avid gardeners, the ultimate luxury is a designated garden shed for corralling tools and accessories; preferably with a utility sink for tidying up. Here's a roundup of a few outbuildings spotted in the portfolios of architects we admire.

Financial market stress eased further on Monday as investors cheered Beijing's vow to make its currency more flexible, but interbank euro funding costs rose again with excess money market liquidity set to drop.

The biggest threat to Britain's economy is its huge budget deficit, and an emergency budget on Tuesday will save the country from the fate of debt-stricken Greece, British finance minister George Osborne said on Sunday.

The Australian Dollar opens higher this morning and is exchanging at 0.8678. In the offshore session to dollar moved between 0.8580 and 0.8680 as risk appetite returned to the markets.

The biggest threat to Britain's economy is its huge budget deficit, and an emergency budget on Tuesday will save the country from the fate of debt-stricken Greece, British finance minister George Osborne said on Sunday.