IBT Staff Reporter

McDonald's Corp said sales at established U.S. restaurants fell for the second straight month as competitors like Burger King and Taco Bell pushed low prices to attract customers.

Stocks fell on Tuesday after a disappointing outlook from 3M Co and a second consecutive month of domestic sales declines at McDonald's Corp triggered worry about the pace of consumer spending.

Investor confidence in Dubai took a fresh knock on Tuesday as officials dithered over a rescue for debt-laden state conglomerate Dubai World and ratings agency Moody's slapped a downgrade on government-related debt.

China must do much more if it is to halve per capita greenhouse emissions by 2050 and thereby avoid a catastrophic rise in global temperatures, but it cannot go it alone, a report released in Beijing said on Tuesday.

An unidentified woman was taken from golfer Tiger Woods' Florida home by ambulance to a nearby hospital early on Tuesday, authorities said.

Car bombs killed 112 people in Baghdad on Tuesday, leaving charred buses and scattered body parts in a blow to the government's efforts to show it can defend Iraqis before U.S. troops withdraw by the end of 2011.

Procter & Gamble Co said on Tuesday that Chairman A.G. Lafley would retire in early 2010 and Chief Executive Bob McDonald would become chairman of the world's top household products maker on January 1.

Iran will show no mercy towards opposition protesters seen as threatening national security, a judiciary official said on Tuesday, a day after thousands of students staged anti-government rallies.

U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates told Afghans on Tuesday Washington would not abandon them, describing a withdrawal that would begin in 2011 but be spread over several years to give Afghan troops time to train.

The opinion poll lead of the Conservatives over the Labour Party has narrowed to eight percentage points, according to a poll published on Tuesday.

Total Energy Services Inc said it agreed to buy the oilfield services, rental and transportation business of privately held DC Energy Services Inc for C$44.5 million ($42.4 million), to expand in western Canada.

The threat of bombs and violence will compete with the lure of some of the world's most promising oilfields when oil majors fly into Baghdad this week to bid in Iraq's second auction of oil contracts since the U.S. invasion.

Economic growth in the United States will resume in 2010, with manufacturing revenue forecast to rise 5.7 percent, the Institute for Supply Management said in its semiannual economic forecast released on Tuesday.

James Gorman, who takes over as Morgan Stanley's chief executive on January 1, has picked finance chief Colm Kelleher and banker Paul Taubman to run the company's institutional securities unit, the New York bank announced on Tuesday.

Investor confidence in Dubai took a fresh knock on Tuesday as officials dithered over a rescue for debt-laden state conglomerate Dubai World DBWLD.UL and ratings agency Moody's slapped a downgrade on government-related debt.

Bank of America Corp's Chief Risk Officer Greg Curl is under scrutiny by New York attorney general Andrew Cuomo's office in connection with the probe of the bank's merger with Merrill Lynch, the New York Times reported.

A woman was transported by ambulance from Tiger Woods' home on Deacon Circle, Florida early Tuesday, Orlando's WFTV News reported today.

Malaysia's state oil firm Petronas said on Tuesday profits in the first half of fiscal year 2010 nearly halved as the global recession hit demand and crude oil prices tumbled from year-ago levels.

NEW YORK - Kroger Co , the largest U.S. grocery chain, reported a much lower-than-expected quarterly profit and cut its full-year forecast as it feels pressure from falling food prices and stepped up competition, pushing its shares down nearly 10 percent in premarket trade.

Stocks fell on Tuesday on a disappointing outlook from 3M Co, while McDonald's Corp reported a second straight month of declines in domestic sales.

The development of the giant Natuna gas project may be delayed due to uncertainty over terms and conditions, which could affect the selection of partners for the project, two energy ministry sources said on Tuesday.

Whenever I find myself dreading a workout or trying to give myself a reason to take a day off or not finish for the day, I remind myself of my mantra and repeat it until I am finished.

Australian coal producer Caledon Resources Plc said on Tuesday it will not pursue sale of the company, following an extended strategic review, sending its shares down 15.5 percent in early trade on the London Stock Exchange.

James Gorman, who takes over as Morgan Stanley's chief executive on January 1, plans to put finance chief Colm Kelleher and banker Paul Taubman in charge of the company's institutional securities unit, according to a source familiar with the matter.

Selling Saab, Partially; Loans Outlook from Wells Fargo; McD's Nov Sales Slip

Diversified U.S. manufacturer 3M Co on Tuesday released an outlook that was below analysts' forecasts for the current year, ahead of a meeting with investors.

U.S. consumer confidence edged lower in December, extending November's decline as consumers remained concerned about the economy and labor market, a research group said on Tuesday.

China-based Green Dragon Gas said it paid about $55 million to redeem the only outstanding convertible bond and simultaneously issued shares to BlackRock, making the fund manager its second-largest shareholder.

Wall Street opened lower on Tuesday pressured by negative corporate news, a stronger U.S. dollar and a drop in commodity prices.