UNITED STATES

Two new U.S. 3D television networks were announced on Tuesday as major media firms aim to drive the consumer adoption of 3D televisions to establish new advertising opportunities.

Investors welcomed the upcoming departure of Biogen Idec Inc Chief Executive James Mullen, sending the company's shares higher in early trading on Tuesday.

India's Tata Motors (TAMO.BO) may consider launching its ultra-cheap Nano car in the United States in three years, its chairman said on Tuesday, following possible sales in Europe by the end of 2011.

Pilgrim's Pride Corp , the U.S. chicken producer that recently exited bankruptcy, said on Tuesday that it would eliminate about 230 corporate and administrative positions during the first phase of its integration with Brazilian meat company JBS SA .

Kraft sweetened its $16.8 billion offer for Britain's Cadbury and a potential rival stood aside, but just hours later the U.S. food firm's influential top shareholder threatened to vote against the deal.

Kraft sweetened its $16.8 billion offer for Britain's Cadbury and a potential rival stood aside, but just hours later the U.S. food firm's influential top shareholder threatened to vote against the deal.

U.S. copper futures tiptoed into positive territory Tuesday morning, after a steep drop in U.S. pending home sales dragged the dollar down and an increase in factory orders bolstered recovery hopes in the manufacturing sector.

The Dow industrials and the Nasdaq slipped on Tuesday as a plunge in November pending home sales gave the market a headwind, though that was offset by another sign of improvement in the manufacturing sector.

The fiancé of Tila Tequila was found dead on Monday in her Los Angeles home, the cause of death is not known.

New orders at U.S. factories rose 1.1 percent in November in their third straight increase and inventories grew for the second month in a row, according to government data released on Tuesday that showed continuing recovery in manufacturing.

Small and medium-sized U.S. businesses seeking to finance capital equipment showed further signs of distress in November as loans more than six months past due rose for the 22nd consecutive month, PayNet Inc reported on Monday.

Pending sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell more than expected in November because of the end of a rush to beat the initial expiration of a popular tax credit, a survey showed on Tuesday.

Dealmakers in China may well find a lot of the action this year in an unlikely place.

Susana Balbo is to Argentine wine what Martha Stewart is to homemaking and Oprah Winfrey is to media in the United States.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq gained on Tuesday as investors welcomed further signs of improvement in the manufacturing sector, brushing off a sharp slump in pending home sales for November.

Nokia launched another patent case against Apple, in the latest step in an escalating legal battle between two leaders of the smartphone market.

Kraft Foods sweetened its 10.2 billion pound ($16.43 billion) hostile offer for Cadbury with cash, which may well be enough to land the British group, as long as rivals stay out of the race.

Stocks briefly added to losses on Tuesday after data showed a much bigger-than-expected decline in pending home sales.

U2 front man Bono has suggested that movie company success in fighting piracy could help the U.S. economically.

U.S. healthcare spending rose at the lowest rate on record in 2008 due to the recession, but still reached $2.3 trillion and devoured 16.2 percent of the U.S. economy, government analysts said in a report on Tuesday.

Nestle ruled itself out of a bid war over Cadbury and Kraft sweetened its $16.4 billion offer, but the U.S. food firm's biggest shareholder Warren Buffett warned it not to overpay.