MARKETS / FINANCE

Billionaire investor John Paulson's bet that the economy will rebound paid off handsomely last year when his hedge fund clients earned about $1 billion on his Citigroup Inc stake.

Sales of automobile paint and plastics helped DuPont post a stronger-than-expected quarterly profit, though higher raw material costs raised concern about margin pressure this year.

BlackRock Inc, the world's largest asset manager, got a boost from hedge fund fees and exchange-traded fund inflows in the fourth quarter, aiding a big jump in profit that topped analysts' estimates.

A bipartisan panel investigating the financial crisis has referred cases of potential wrongdoing by financial industry officials to the Justice Department, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks fell on Tuesday after disappointing profits and outlooks from blue chips such as 3M and Johnson & Johnson prompted investors to pause in the recent rally.

A personalized news service funded by New York Times Co., Washington Post Co., and Gannett Co launched on Tuesday in an attempt to get readers to pay for online news.

Precious metals fell on Tuesday as a slew of data suggested better global economic environment, reducing investors' need to lock in their money in safer but less profitable avenues like metals while technical analysts see further room southward for the commodities.

U.S. securities regulators were poised to adopt say-on-pay rules on Tuesday aimed at empowering shareholders to cast non-binding votes on executive pay, and to propose new rules designed to help regulators police hedge funds for systemic risk.

U.S. consumer confidence rose more than expected in January to its highest level in eight months, helped by growing optimism about the economy and the jobs market, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday.

Yahoo Inc is cutting 1 percent of its global workforce, the company said on Tuesday, the second round of layoffs in six weeks.

U.S. single-family home prices fell for a fifth straight month in November and a double-dip in home prices could be confirmed by spring, a closely watched survey said on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks are retreating in mid-day as investors are cautiously awaiting the results of the two-day FOMC meeting, which began today, and the President’s State of the Union Address tonight.

U.S. consumer confidence rose in January to its highest level in eight months, underscoring the brightening economic outlook, although declining housing prices still cast a cloud on the recovery.

The debut bond from Europe's financial rescue fund attracted robust demand on Tuesday, in the latest sign of confidence the bloc is getting to grips with the debt crisis that has haunted it for over a year.

Investor interest in derivatives-based strategies remains cold, as the financial bailout in 2008 and the Dodd-Graham Financial Overhaul Act has kept investors scared.

Stocks fell on Tuesday as disappointing earnings from blue chips such as 3M and Johnson & Johnson prompted investors to pause in the recent rally.

Shareholders of publicly listed companies will get to weigh in on executive compensation through advisory votes, under a new rule adopted by U.S. securities regulators on Tuesday.

Consumer confidence rose more than expected in January to its highest level in eight months, helped by growing optimism about the economy and the jobs market, according to a private sector report released on Tuesday.

Travelers Companies Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit and the largest publicly traded U.S. property insurer said there were early signs businesses were finally willing to spend more on insurance.

BlackRock Inc , the world's largest asset manager, reported a big jump in fourth-quarter profit and revenue on Tuesday, aided by the global stock market rally.

Chinese banks finished 2010 in a stronger position than they started, chipping away at their bad debt holdings and beefing up provisions in case their asset quality deteriorates, a new set of official data shows.

BlackRock Inc , the world's largest asset manager, reported a big jump in fourth-quarter profit and revenue on Tuesday, aided in no small measure by the global stock market rally.

Stocks fell on Tuesday weighed by disappointing blue-chip earnings, including 3M and Johnson & Johnson, ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's State of the Union speech.

Google's Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said he expected to spend another 10 years at the company, after his surprise handover last week to co-founder Larry Page.

3M Co reported higher-than-expected quarterly results on Tuesday, lifted by strong sales to the electronics industry.

Diversified U.S. manufacturer 3M Co reported higher-than-expected quarterly results on Tuesday, lifted by strong sales of products to the electronics industry.

Outgoing Chief Executive Eric Schmidt said on Tuesday he expected to spend another 10 years at Google, after announcing his surprise handover last week to co-founder Larry Page.

The Gold Price fell to new multi-month lows against all major currencies on Tuesday morning, dropping to $1325 per ounce as capitulation and panic hit Asian investment traders, according to one Hong Kong dealer.

U.S. single-family home prices fell for a fifth straight month in November and could plumb new lows soon, a closely watched survey showed on Tuesday.