IBT Staff Reporter

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues about the intensity of consumer spending and before a monetary policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

The European Union, United States and Japan formally asked the World Trade Organization on Tuesday to settle a dispute with China over Beijing's restriction on exports of raw materials, including rare earth elements critical to major industries.

Stock index futures advanced on Tuesday ahead of data that could provide clues on the level of consumer spending and before a policy announcement from the Federal Reserve.

Police arrested Rebekah Brooks, the former News of the World editor and close associate to Rupert Murdoch, for a second time on Tuesday in a new round of detentions in Britain's phone-hacking scandal, Sky News reported.

European shares rose and the dollar held near highs on Tuesday on hopes German and U.S. data will fuel expectations of an economic recovery and of no fresh stimulus moves from the Federal Reserve later in the day.

Russian billionaire Viktor Vekselberg quit on Tuesday as chairman of the world's largest aluminum producer, UC RUSAL <0486.HK>, saying the heavily indebted company was in deep crisis after a long battle with rival oligarch Oleg Deripaska.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.56 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.45 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.54 percent at 0949 GMT.

The package of new financing, debt restructuring and reforms can put Greek debt on a sustainable path, but Athens will have to stick to good policies until 2030 to make it work, an updated debt sustainability analysis by international lenders showed.

The Bank of Japan kept monetary policy on hold on Tuesday, overruling a lone proposal for more stimulus and disappointing some in markets who thought the central bank could follow up last month's easing with another move to amplify its impact.

Hynix Semiconductor Inc <000660.KS>, the world's No.2 memory chipmaker, said on Tuesday that it has seen marked growth in customer enquiries for increased chip supplies following financial troubles at Japanese rival Elpida Memory Inc <6665.T>.

European shares gained on Tuesday on hopes German and U.S. data will support rising hopes of an economic recovery ahead of a monetary policy statement by the Federal Reserve.

Asian equities hit a one-week high on Tuesday, holding firm in the wake of recent signs of improvement in the U.S. economy, while the yen rose after the Bank of Japan kept monetary policy steady.

Some big financial firms have offered to buy the claims of thousands of MF Global customers, whose money went missing after the brokerage firm collapsed last year, the New York Times said, citing people involved in the negotiations.

The Bank of Japan held off on easing monetary policy on Tuesday after last month's surprise loosening, but board member Ryuzo Miyao unsuccessfully proposed a further easing by increasing the bank's asset-buying and loan scheme by 5 trillion yen ($61 billion).

The Federal Reserve on Tuesday is expected to hold a steady course on monetary policy, acknowledging a mildly brighter economic outlook while refraining from any suggestion that further easing is now off the table.

Russia's United Company RUSAL Plc <0486.HK>, the world's largest aluminum maker, descended into boardroom turmoil on Tuesday after its chairman resigned, making allegations of a debt crisis and prompting an indefinite suspension of the company's shares.

Yahoo Inc sued Facebook Inc over 10 patents that include methods and systems for advertising on the Web, opening the first major legal battle among big technology companies in social media.

The trustee managing MF Global Holdings Ltd's assets in bankruptcy told a lawmaker he has made no decision on whether to seek bonuses for the top executives of the collapsed commodities firm.

Federal prosecutors in Washington, D.C. have nixed a tentative $1 billion settlement with Johnson & Johnson, holding out for a bigger settlement with the drugmaker for alleged improper marketing of its Risperdal schizophrenia drug, the Wall Street Journal said.

Apple Inc and Motorola Mobility held talks on a cross-licensing deal to settle smartphone patent infringement lawsuits, a move that could have benefited all of the companies that use Google's Android software, according to the European Union.

The Bank of Japan is expected to refrain from easing monetary policy further on Tuesday, while stressing its readiness to act again in coming months if needed and extending a cheap loan line supporting growth industries.

Defensive names rallied in an otherwise flat day for Wall Street on Monday as investors paused after recent gains and looked ahead to the Federal Reserve's monetary policy statement.

Chipmaker Intel Corp is developing an Internet-based TV service for consumers and has been promoting it with media companies, the Wall Street Journal said, citing people familiar with the effort.

The government released the fine print of its landmark $25 billion mortgage settlement, and promised to closely police the banks' pledges to bring widespread housing relief, even while letting them dodge admission of wrongdoing.

Aereo Inc, an online television service backed by billionaire Barry Diller that is preparing to launch on Wednesday, filed a countersuit against broadcasters seeking to stop the retransmission of their programming.

China's top two online video companies are joining forces, with Youku.com buying smaller rival Tudou Holdings Ltd in an all-stock deal worth over $1 billion, creating an industry leader with more than a one third share of a market that is losing money as it battles rising costs.

Citigroup Inc may be a surprise winner when the Federal Reserve reveals the results of bank stress tests designed to gauge the health of the biggest U.S. banks.

Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim is financing an Internet TV network that will include an interview show with former CNN television host Larry King, and could be running by October.

Venture capitalists have some insights for startup entrepreneurs trying to break out at Austin's South By Southwest Interactive trade show, a mecca for the technorati that runs through Tuesday.