IBT Staff Reporter

The health of Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs was set to overshadow quarterly sales numbers on Tuesday from the consumer electronics powerhouse, whose iPhone and iPad excited holiday shoppers.

A sharp drop in bond trading revenue pushed Citigroup Inc fourth-quarter profit far below expectations, highlighting Chief Executive Vikram Pandit's challenges in fully reviving the bank.

The S&P and Nasdaq dipped on Tuesday after Citigroup's quarterly results missed estimates and Apple's Chief Executive Steve Jobs took another medical leave.

It has been a long journey since Steve Jobs came up with the name Apple Computers but the company now known as Apple has become synonymous with the man. Pundits have often predicted that Apple will fail without having Jobs at the helm.

Citigroup Inc posted a $1.3 billion quarterly profit on Tuesday, as losses on bad loans fell, but the bank missed estimates on its earnings as it struggled with a slump in revenue.

Video rental chain Blockbuster Inc has asked bondholders for an additional $200 million to $250 million to help with its exit from bankruptcy protection, the Wall Street Journal said on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

The companies that reported earnings before the markets opened on Tuesday are: Citigroup, Forest Laboratories, Comerica, Delta Air Lines and TD Ameritrade.

Apple is set to report earnings today, and analysts are expecting revenue to jump to as much as $24 billion, a rise of 55 percent over the year-ago quarter. But the thought of the company without Steve Jopbs is casting a pall over the good news.

The United States is awaiting official results of Sudan's referendum on whether to split the country into two, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Monday.

In covering the gold sector, I have noticed something lately. The large-caps really suck! Ok, that is harsh but it is the truth. The chart below shows the large-cap indices. What do you see? The Dow Jones Precious Metals Index hasn't gone anywhere for five years, while Gold has more than doubled.

Indian pharmaceutical company Strides Arcolab on Tuesday said it got the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to sell an additional package size of Adenosine injection used for treating cardiac diseases.

A report from market research firm High Fliers identifies the most preferred universities among the UK's top recruiters

Apple's Chief Operating Officer Tim Cook is again at the helm, after CEO Steve Jobs announced that he is going on a medical leave.

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao vowed on Tuesday to slam the brakes on a credit surge at the start of this year, following reports that the central bank has cut the 2011 lending target for banks by 10 percent.

Mid-tier producer Iamgold Corp (IMG.TO) posted a 21 percent sequential rise in gold production in the fourth quarter and reaffirmed its 2011 production outlook. The Toronto-based company said on Monday it expects to produce 1.1-1.2 million ounces in 2011, at cash costs of $565-$595 an ounce.

African Barrick Gold (ABGL.L) said fourth-quarter output rose from the preceding quarter as its new Buzwagi mine overcame production difficulties by mid-November, but missed its overall output target for the year.

Citigroup Inc posted a $1.3 billion quarterly profit on Tuesday, as losses on bad loans fell, but the bank missed estimates on its earnings as it struggled with a slump in investment banking revenue.

Gold priced in US dollars rose for a second day on Tuesday. Reflecting the improved consumer appetite for gold in Asia, premiums for gold bars rose on Monday to hit another two-year high as jewelers from China rushed to buy ahead of the Lunar New Year, while purchases from the electronics sector helped stir up physical trading in Japan, dealers said.

S&P and Dow index futures were higher on Tuesday as investors were upbeat about corporate earnings, but Nasdaq futures were weighed by Apple after the iPad maker said its chief executive was taking another medical leave.

Greece is not in talks to stretch out repayment of its entire outstanding debt, a finance ministry official, who requested anonymity, said on Tuesday.

- World stocks hit a fresh 28-month high on Tuesday, while the euro climbed on new evidence of robust growth in Germany and signs that policymakers will eventually firm up plans to ease the euro zone's debt crisis.

A German company is poised to launch software allowing users to have photos uploaded to websites such as Facebook, MySpace and Flickr erased automatically after a certain time.

Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal was named the next captain of Europe's 2012 Ryder Cup team, on Tuesday.

Even as the rest of Europe remains on an edge about its economic recovery, Germany continues to post strong growth, as shown by the German investor confidence indicator on Tuesday.

Pirate attacks on ships worldwide hit a seven year high in 2010 and a record number of crew were taken hostage, a maritime watchdog body said, despite increased patrolling of the seas.

The Austrian emissions trading registry has been closed until further notice due to a hacker attack on January 10, it said on its website.

Rafa Nadal opened his Australian Open campaign with a nasty, brutish and quick demolition of Marcos Daniel on Tuesday that ended after 46 minutes when the Brazilian journeyman retired injured.

Asia's largest literary festival kicks off this weekend in a historic Indian city, a testament to the growing global influence of Indian literature and its appeal to both publishers and authors.

A suicide bomber wearing a vest filled with explosives attacked Iraqi police recruits on Tuesday in former dictator Saddam Hussein's hometown of Tikrit, killing at least 42 and wounding over 100, officials said.