ECONOMY & MARKETS

The pre-market movers on Tuesday are Alcoa, Carnival, Huntington Bancshares, Walgreen Co, Borders group, Electronic Arts and Safeway.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: XOMA, ATP Oil & Gas, Sonic, DryShips, Qiao Xing Universal Resources, Melco Crown Entertainment, Star Scientific, Logitech International, Microvision, and Asia Entertainment & Resources.

AMD has unveiled a new class of accelerated processor that brings in supercomputer-like performance to every day computing tasks, including superior Internet, video and gaming experiences. AMD's launch comes a day after Intel showcased its Sandy Bridge second generation of Core processors.

The U.S. economy is on course to a self-sustaining recovery in 2011, aided by the private sector’s return to health and a further injection of fiscal stimulus, IHS Global Insight has said.

The number of unemployed people in Spain dropped by 10,221 to 4.1 million in December, recording the steepest decline since 2000, the ministry of employment and immigration said on Tuesday.

Futures on major U.S. stock indices point to a higher opening on Tuesday with futures on the S&P 500 up 0.26 percent, futures on the Dow Jones Industrial Average up 0.33 percent and Nasdaq100 futures up 0.16 percent.

The top after-market NYSE losers on Monday are: K-Sea Transportation Partners, GMX Resources, WellCare Health Plans, McMoRan Exploration, Flotek Industries, Interoil Corp, McKesson Corp and Harmony Gold Mining..

The top after-market NYSE gainers on Monday are: Alcoa, International Coal Group, U.S. Gold Corp, Arch Coal, American Axle & Manufact. Holdings, Molycorp, M.D.C. Holdings and Barnes & Noble.

New Year has started well for the iPhone maker Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL), whose market capitalization has hit the $300-billion mark. Shares of Apple reached an all-time high of $330.26 during 2011's first regular trading session.

Stocks began 2011 with a bang – equities leaped, powered by some strong manufacturing data in the U.S. and Europe and by a generally bullish outlook for the new year.

Bill Gross of PIMCO is concerned about rising interest rates and the decline of the U.S. dollar.

Does a company like Facebook that manufactures no tangible products and employs only about 2,000 people really be worth as much as $50-billion.

Binky Chadha, chief U.S. equity strategist of Deutsche Bank, thinks the S&P 500 will return 23 percent in 2011.

The devastating floods in Queensland Australia has driven up the prices of certain commodities, including coal, wheat and sugar. With warnings that the flood may not recede for weeks, the longer-term impact on commodity prices becomes a great concern.

With a pop in its share price on the first trading day of 2011, Apple Inc. (AAPL) has now surpassed the $300-billion level in terms of market cap.

Economic activity in the U.S. manufacturing sector continued to grow for the 17th consecutive month during December, according to a survey report on Monday.

US stocks advanced in early trade on Monday, the first trading day of 2011, on speculation that the economic recovery will continue after stocks ended with double digit gains in the previous year.

Construction spending edged up slightly in November over the prior month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau of the Department of Commerce.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market losers are: Inspire Pharmaceuticals, DryShips, Capitol Federal Financial, Netflix, Intel, Amkor Technology, IMAX, GSI Commerce, and Ctrip.com International.

Robert W. Baird & Co. CEO Paul Purcell speaks to IBTimes about his firm's performance during the financial crisis, navigating the financial services industry after the crisis, and the advantages of being a privately-held financial services firm.

iRobot Corp. (NASDAQ: IRBT) is set to unveil its newest and the world's smallest floor cleaning robot - iRobot Scooba 230 - making one of people’s least favorite household chores, cleaning the bathroom, a whole lot easier. Just press the Clean button and the robot does the dirty work.

The top pre-market NASDAQ stock market gainers are: Qiao Xing Universal Resources, Impax Laboratories, Magic Software Enterprises, Mercadolibre, L & L Energy, ON Semiconductor, Ceragon Networks, ChinaCache International Holdings, Melco Crown Entertainment, and F5 Networks.

The economy of Singapore surged by an astounding 14.7 percent in 2010, primarily driven by a surge in manufacturing activity, versus a 1.3 decline in the prior year, making it Asia’s fastest-growing economy.

The year 2010 saw the metamorphosis of gold from a commodity to a currency, according to analysts. As global currencies weakened in the wake of an influx of unprecedented stimulus and ultra-liberal monetary policies gold extended its bull ride to finish the year with a 30 percent gain.

A boom in German exports drove European manufacturing in December, data released by London-based Markit Economics showed on Monday.

Vizio, the maker of low-cost LCD TVs, is reportedly planning to launch an inexpensive Android smartphone and tablet computer, challenging Apple and Research in Motion.

Chinese ambassador to Spain said on Monday China will contribute to efforts to secure Spain's financial stability and economic recovery as the debt-hit nation is trying to shore up investor confidence and avert any sovereign crisis.

Jefferies & Co. downgraded its rating on shares of Sierra Wireless Inc. (SWIR) to 'hold' from 'buy'. However, the brokerage raised its price target on shares of the Canadian mobile modem maker to $15 from $13.

India’s exports in November grew 26.5 percent to $18.9 billion compared to the same period a year earlier, a government report said on Monday.