EQUITIES

Standard & Poor's on Tuesday said it may cut its ratings on rival rating agency Moody's Investors Corp, saying U.S. financial reforms may lower margins and increase litigation costs at credit rating agencies.

Investors fled the U.S. stock market on Tuesday and the S&P 500 tumbled to its lowest level in eight months in a sell-off triggered by a wave of increasing alarm over the global economic outlook.

General Motors has revamped the way it operates, with sharply lower costs, stronger brands and gains in key emerging markets like China, Chief Executive Ed Whitacre said in a pitch for the company's planned IPO.

Investors fled the U.S. stock market on Tuesday and the S&P 500 tumbled to its lowest level in eight months in a sell-off triggered by a wave of increasing alarm over the global economic outlook.

(Corrects paragraph 2 to delete reference to worst day since May 6)

Democrats on Tuesday planned to strip out a controversial tax from their landmark financial reform bill in order to win the swing votes needed to pass it through Congress.

Democrats on Tuesday considered stripping out a controversial tax from their landmark financial-reform bill in order to win the swing votes needed to pass it in Congress.

Investors fled the U.S. stock market on Tuesday and the S&P 500 tumbled to nearly an eight-month low in a sell-off triggered by a wave of increasing alarm over the global economic outlook.

Stocks extended losses on Tuesday and the S&P 500 index broke a key technical resistance as it fell below 1,040.78, its previous low point for 2010.

General Motors , in the year since emerging from bankruptcy, has revamped the way it operates, with sharply lower costs, stronger brands and gains in key emerging markets like China, Chief Executive Ed Whitacre told potential investors on Tuesday.

Shares of electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc opened nearly 12 percent above their initial public offering price on Tuesday as investors bet that electric cars would define the future of transportation.

Barnes & Noble Inc shares hit their lowest level in more than a year even as its chief executive said on Tuesday that the bookseller could dominate a quarter of the growing e-books market within a few years and generate billions of dollars in new sales.

Shares of electric carmaker Tesla Motors Inc opened nearly 12 percent above their initial public offering price on Tuesday as investors bet that electric cars would define the future of transportation.

Stocks tumbled on Tuesday after a sharp drop in consumer confidence and on fresh concerns over euro-zone fiscal problems ahead of massive bank repayments to the European Central Bank this week.

Stocks tumbled on Tuesday after a sharp decline in consumer confidence and on fresh concerns over euro zone fiscal problems ahead of massive bank repayments to the European Central Bank this week.

Political momentum was expected to carry a sweeping Wall Street reform bill to approval in the Congress, but the death of Senator Robert Byrd threatened to delay final action until mid-July.

Stocks dropped 2 percent on Tuesday after data showed U.S. consumer confidence fell steeply in June on worries about the labor market.

Wall Street was set to fall about 1 percent at open on Tuesday on fresh concerns over fiscal problems in the euro zone ahead of bank repayments to the European Central Bank this week.

Stock index futures pointed to a decline of about 1 percent at the open on Tuesday as fresh concerns mounted over fiscal problems in the euro zone ahead of bank repayments to the European Central Bank this week.

World stocks hit a 2-1/2 week low on Tuesday while oil and the euro also slipped as investors grew nervous over the funding situation of banks about to repay 442 billion euros ($545.5 billion) to the European Central Bank.

Stock index futures pointed to a sharply lower open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 down 1.4 percent, Dow Jones futures down 1.1 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures down 1.4 percent at 0930 GMT.

The Federal Reserve Bank of New York has been probing major financial firms' exposure to BP Plc to ensure that if the oil giant buckles under the costs of the Gulf oil spill, it won't put Wall Street or the global financial system at risk, according to two sources familiar with the matter.

U.S. stocks ended slightly lower on Monday as gains in consumer-related stocks, including tobacco shares, were offset by losses in the energy sector.

Stocks were little changed on Monday as data showing a rise in consumer spending was offset by investors' anxiousness before economic reports, including monthly payrolls, later in the week.

Stocks rose on Monday, rebounding after losses last week and data showed consumer spending rose slightly more than expected in May.

Stocks fell on Monday as better-than-expected data on consumer spending failed to ease renewed caution about the economy.

Stock index futures edged higher on Monday after global leaders pledged to tackle government deficits and investors looked ahead to earnings and economic data for a rebound after Wall Street's steep decline last week.

U.S. stock index futures rose slightly on Monday after global leaders pledged to cut government deficits and adopted a more flexible timeline for banks to take on new capital rules.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a mixed opening on Wall Street on Monday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.4 percent, Dow Jones futures gaining 0.3 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.3 percent at 4:50 a.m. ET.