IBT Staff Reporter

Sen. Ben Nelson, a conservative Democrat from Nebraska, is expected to announce on Tuesday that he will not seek re-election to a third term in the Senate, according to reports from several news outlets.

Stocks fluctuated between small gains and losses in a light-volume session on Tuesday, suggesting a 5 percent rally over the past four trading sessions may have largely run its course.

Sears Holdings Corp will close as many as 120 of its Kmart and namesake big-box stores after sales during the peak holiday period fell sharply, and the retailer also forecast that fourth quarter earnings would fall by more than half, sending its shares plunging some 25 percent.

General Electric Co jumped into the retail deposits business on Tuesday, buying the online bank from life insurer MetLife Inc in a deal that will let GE's capital arm expand its funding base and lessen reliance on wholesale markets.

Samsung Electronics Co, Sharp Corp and five other makers of liquid crystal displays agreed to pay $553 million to settle consumer and state regulatory claims that they conspired to fix prices for LCD panels in televisions, notebook computers and monitors.

Consumer confidence rose more than expected in December, hitting an eight-month high, as Americans grew more upbeat about the labor market and their financial situation.

Samsung Electronics Co, Sharp Corp and five other makers of liquid crystal displays agreed to pay $539 million to settle claims they conspired to fix prices and stifle competition for LCD panels in televisions, notebook computers and monitors, according to a court filing.

In a 2006 newsletter from his former consulting company, the Center for Health Transformation, Newt Gingrich praised Mitt Romney's Massachusetts health care plan, and specifically the individual mandate.

Mead Johnson shares rose nearly 5 percent in premarket trade on Tuesday after the maker of Enfamil baby formula said its products were safe, even as health officials continue their investigation following the death of an infant.

Stocks edged higher in early trading on Tuesday, adding to recent gains, but investors mostly stayed on the sidelines in a session expected to produce light volume.

Consumer confidence rose to an eight month high in December as households grew more upbeat about job prospects, but other data showed the housing market likely remains a drag on economic growth with house prices falling 3.4 percent in the October year.

CNN has published court documents from Newt Gingrich's 1980 divorce that contradict his claim that his ex-wife, Jackie Battley, initiated the proceedings.

Single-family home prices fell more than expected in October, data showed Tuesday, raising doubts that recent signs of improvement in the housing market would be sustained.

Stock index futures pointed to a modestly lower open on Tuesday as investors found little reason to continue buying in what was expected to be a light-volume session following recent gains.

Italy's antitrust body has fined units of U.S. technology group Apple Inc a total of 900,000 euros for failing to adequately inform customers about their rights to product guarantees and assistance.

Italy's anti-trust body has fined units of U.S. technology group Apple Inc a total of 900,000 euros for failing to adequately inform customers about their rights to product guarantees and assistance.

Stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday as investors found little reason to make big bets in what was expected to be a light-volume session following the previous week's gains.

A well-known expert on mobile phone security says a vulnerability in a widely used wireless technology could allow hackers to gain remote control of phones, instructing them to send text messages or make calls.

stock index futures were lower on Tuesday as investors found little reason to make big bets in what was expected to be a light-volume session following the previous week's gains.

South Korea's Samsung Electronics aims to raise its global handset sales by 15 percent next year by boosting its smartphone sales, putting it in a closer race with bigger rival Nokia, a local newspaper said on Tuesday.

Retailer Sears Holdings Corp said it plans to close 100-120 Kmart and Sears Full-line stores and expects its adjusted fourth-quarter EBITDA to more than halve from a year ago.

European stocks crept higher on Tuesday, catching the tailwind of a pre-holiday U.S. rally, while the euro was hamstrung by the prospect of a large Italian debt auction later in the week.

Retailer Sears Holdings Corp said it plans to close 100-120 Kmart and Sears Full-line stores and expects its adjusted fourth-quarter EBITDA to more than halve from a year ago.

Greece's stores had their worst Christmas in decades, with retail sales dropping by 30 percent compared with the same period last year as the economic crisis shattered consumer confidence, the ESEE retail federation said on Tuesday.

China took a further step on Tuesday toward ending its dependence on U.S. satellites to provide navigation and positioning services with the start of trial operations of its homegrown Beidou system.

A panel reviewing the auditing of Olympus Corp after its $1.7 billion accounting scandal said it had so far not found any problems with the work of Ernst & Young's Japanese arm and questioned the accuracy of a separate investigation critical of auditors.

Debt-riddled Japan Tuesday relaxed its self-imposed decades-old ban on military equipment exports in a move that will open new markets to its defense contractors and help the nation squeeze more out of its defense budget.

NTT Docomo Inc, Japan's biggest mobile phone service operator, said Tuesday it will partner with South Korea's Samsung Electronics Co and other Japanese firms to develop chips for smartphones.

Asian shares eased on Tuesday as investors squared positions in thin volume before U.S. markets reopen after a long weekend and investors see fresh data that could offer clues about prospects for the world's largest economy.