IBT Staff Reporter

The Federal Reserve should not get new powers as part of the overhaul of financial regulation, a leading U.S. Senate Republican said on Monday.

More than half of U.S. companies are reducing bonuses, and nearly half are scaling back on raises in an effort to cut costs in a tough recession, according to research released Monday.

The global financial crisis and a loss of interest in the AIDS epidemic may translate into less money in coming years for research, treatment and prevention of the virus, HIV experts said on Monday

Foreman Danny Miranda remembers the days when the Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, ports were so jammed that ships waited in line to unload. Now the lingering recession has longshoremen waiting in line for work.

A single doctor, nurse or technician with dirty hands can undo all the good work of an entire hospital staff trained to carefully wash their hands to prevent the spread of infection, French researchers reported on Monday.

Some store chains are hedging a major bet they made this year by slashing inventories, sometimes as much as 25 percent, to make sure they do not get stuck with a glut of merchandise for a second consecutive year.

Asset manager BlackRock Inc reported a 46 percent jump third-quarter earnings, topping expectations, helped in part by improved cost controls.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Apple and Caterpillar pointed to a solid earnings season.

Foreman Danny Miranda remembers the days when the Los Angeles and Long Beach, California, ports were so jammed that ships waited in line to unload. Now the lingering recession has longshoremen waiting in line for work.

Fresh from laying charges in the largest hedge fund insider trading case in history, U.S. federal investigators are poised to bring further significant cases.

Mexico's lower house finance committee approved on Tuesday raising value-added tax and high-earner income tax rates as part of a government plan to reduce the country's dependence on waning oil revenues.

Start-up investment advisory firm kaChing opened its website to paying customers with advice for investors leery of Wall Street in the wake of the financial crisis.

News, details on bond issues in the European markets on Tuesday:

Coca-Cola Co reported a third-quarter profit that topped Wall Street estimates by a penny, helped by higher sales volume and cost cuts.

Adecco (ADEN.VX), the world's largest staffing company, is buying American rival MPS Group (MPS.N) for $1.3 billion, boosting its high-margin and more recession-resilient professional staffing business.

DuPont posted an 11 percent jump in third-quarter profit on Tuesday, beating Wall Street estimates, but the chemical maker narrowed its earnings outlook for the year.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Apple and Caterpillar pointed to a strong earnings season.

In the office of Wall Street's top cop hang a courtroom sketch and a framed newspaper article from his biggest case, when he sent the villain away for life.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) and Apple Inc (AAPL.O) pointed to a solid earnings season.

Adecco , the world's largest staffing company, is buying American rival MPS Group for $1.3 billion, boosting its high-margin and more recession-resilient professional staffing business.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Tuesday after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Caterpillar Inc and Apple Inc pointed to a solid earnings season.

European shares were lower at midday on Tuesday, with banks the major losers after Qatar cut its stake in British bank Barclays (BARC.L).

A sale of Barclays shares by the Qatari Investment Authority (QIA) dented banking stocks, pulling Britain's FTSE 100 index slightly lower by midday on Tuesday, but the move lifted Sainsbury shares by reviving bid talk.

* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Apple (AAPL.O) and Texas Instruments (TXN.N) pleased investors.

Qatar is selling 379.2 million shares in British bank Barclays , worth over 1.3 billion pounds ($2.1 billion), the second major Middle East investor set to make a big profit by selling down its stake this year.

Oil edged lower on Tuesday, ebbing from an over $80 a barrel a peak hit earlier on a weaker dollar, as a cautious reassessment of supply and demand tempered the rally.

Qatar is selling a 1.3 billion pound ($2.1 billion) stake in British bank Barclays , stoking talk it will use a big profit to make a move on UK food retailer J. Sainsbury .

Apple Inc's profits and sales streaked past Wall Street forecasts as iPhone and Mac sales hit quarterly records, sending its shares rocketing to all-time highs on Monday.

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, after strong quarterly results from bellwethers Apple and Texas Instruments pleased investors.