IBT Staff Reporter

U.S. consumer confidence improved in May, boosted by the perception that the worst was over in terms of job losses and helped by optimism associated with earlier gains in the stock market, a report released on Tuesday showed.

U.S. stocks managed modest gains at midday on Tuesday, recovering from early losses on strength in the biotech sector after Gilead Sciences unveiled a large stock-buyback program.

Germany's cabinet approved the biggest national contribution to a $1 trillion emergency package intended to stabilize the euro, as global markets sobered up after Monday's euphoric rally.

U.S. stocks slipped on Tuesday, easing from the previous session's hefty gains as concerns lingered about how Greece will get its budget deficit under control.

U.S. policy-makers must not wait too long to raise interest rates with inflation unlikely to stay at low levels as the economic recovery picks up steam, a top Federal Reserve official said on Tuesday.

American International Group Inc Chief Executive Robert Benmosche told employees he is confident a $35.5 billion deal to sell its Asian life insurance unit would move forward, a source familiar with the matter said.

Small U.S. business owners are slightly less pessimistic about their outlook, and in the face of continuing weak sales do not plan to boost capital spending or employment, a monthly survey of small businesses showed.

(Reuters) - A cancer report that concludes Americans are under constant assault from carcinogenic agents has heartened activists, who hope that finally government and policymakers will pay attention to their concerns.

Europe's travel industry is counting the cost of air traffic disruption caused by a volcanic ash cloud which forced thousands of flights to be canceled and is braced for more stoppages this month.

(Reuters) - Low condom use, needle sharing and a rise in casual sex and prostitution may unleash an HIV epidemic in the Philippines, according to a new study.

(Reuters) - The evidence is stronger than ever that pollution from industry, traffic and power generation causes strokes and heart attacks, and people should avoid breathing in smog, the American Heart Association said on Monday.

People working 10 or 11 hours a day are more likely to suffer serious heart problems, including heart attacks, than those clocking off after seven hours, researchers said on Tuesday.

New York City's recession likely will linger for the average resident, though technical indicators suggest both the nation and the city have turned the corner, the Fiscal Policy Institute reported on Tuesday.

U.S. prosecutors have accused ABN Amro, now largely part of Royal Bank of Scotland , of turning a blind eye to U.S. laws, using special procedures to bypass U.S. sanctions against Cuba, Iran and other countries.

Some of the world's top advertising and marketing chiefs will meet in Moscow this week to exchange ideas on the best ways for the $450 billion industry to capitalize on a still fragile economic recovery.

Market watchdogs and six major exchanges agreed new safeguards were needed to curb trading in plunging markets, an effort to address last Thursday's mysterious market free fall.

Senior executives from NYSE Euronext, Nasdaq OMX Group Inc and CME Group Inc will testify to a congressional panel on Tuesday on last week's shock sell-off in the stock markets, according to a witness list obtained by Reuters.

The euro fell on Tuesday and stocks retreated as a relief rally ignited by a $1 trillion plan to contain Greece's debt crisis ran out of steam, while doubts on how the country will cut its budget deficit persisted.

Toyota Motor Corp forecast a slower-than-expected recovery in earnings this year as a stronger yen and Europe's debt problems hamper efforts to undo the damage from the worst recall crisis in its history.

U.S. stock index futures were lower on Tuesday, easing after the previous session's hefty gains and as concerns lingered about how Greece will get its budget deficit under control.

Chinese annual inflation pushed up to an 18-month high in April and property prices rose at a record clip, showing that the government still has its work cut out to keep the world's third-largest economy from boiling over.

U.S. stock index futures were lower on Tuesday, easing after the previous session's hefty gains and as concerns lingered about how Greece will get its budget deficit under control.

SINGAPORE (Reuters Life!) - Nothing makes us happier than our families and loved ones, a new study shows, with face-to-face socializing beating reaching out to people online hands down.

A top Federal Reserve official warned on Tuesday that economies around the world must further rebalance their inward and outward capital flows to prevent a repeat of the damaging crisis of 2007-2008.

Mizuho Financial Group Inc , Japan's second-largest bank by assets, plans to raise about 800 billion yen ($8.7 billion) in common shares to prepare for stricter capital requirements, three sources familiar with the matter said.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq 100 fell 1.0 to 1.1 percent, pointing to a weaker open on Wall Street on Tuesday.

The euro and stocks fell on Tuesday as a relief rally sparked by a $1 trillion plan to contain Greece's debt crisis gave way to doubts as to how the country will cut its budget deficit.

The euro and stocks fell on Tuesday as a relief rally sparked by a $1 trillion plan to contain Greece's debt crisis gave way to doubts as to how the country will cut its budget deficit.

Chinese annual inflation pushed up to an 18-month high in April and property prices rose at a record clip, showing that the government still has its work cut out to keep the world's third-largest economy from boiling over.