IBT Staff Reporter

Walgreen Co , the largest U.S. drugstore chain, reported a quarterly profit that topped expectations, as it began to benefit from a make-over that includes sprucing up stores and cutting jobs, sending its shares higher.

European planemaker Airbus will make one fewer A380 superjumbo aircraft than planned in 2009 after agreeing to push a delivery into 2010, reminding investors of challenges facing Europe's largest industrial venture.

Britain's leading share index was 0.4 percent weaker in mid-session trade on Tuesday, with weakness in commodity stocks outweighing gains in financials as investors booked profit after recent gains.

Walgreen Co , the largest U.S. drugstore chain, posted a slightly smaller quarterly profit on Tuesday, weighed down by weak sales of summer merchandise and costs behind its strategy to makeover its stores and streamline its overall operations.

U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Tuesday as investors awaited data on home prices and consumer confidence, following solid gains in the previous session.

Oil dipped toward $66.50 a barrel on Tuesday as a weak demand outlook was expected to be reinforced by weekly inventory data from the United States.

U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Tuesday as investors awaited data on home prices and consumer confidence, following solid gains in the previous session.

Hedge fund manager John Paulson is considering merging troubled U.S. finance company CIT Group with failed mortgage lender IndyMac Federal Bank , the New York Post said, citing people familiar with the matter.

Stock futures were down on Tuesday morning, indicating a weaker start for Wall Street. The futures for Dow, the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq were down 0.1 to 0.3 percent by 4:20 a.m. EDT.

World stocks edged higher while the dollar steadied on Tuesday as BNP Paribas' move to pay back state financial support and growing corporate takeover activity bolstered confidence about economic recovery.

BNP Paribas, France's biggest bank by market capitalization, on Tuesday joined the rush to pay back governments for their financial support during the credit crisis.

UBS chief executive Oswald Gruebel said Paine Webber, the bank's U.S. wealth management unit, is non-core but the bank will not sell at present, the Financial Times quoted him as saying.

European planemaker Airbus confirmed on Tuesday it had cut its 2009 delivery target for A380s by one aircraft to 13 planes and said it was maintaining its delivery forecast for 2010.

Oil held steady around $67 a barrel on Tuesday after climbing more than 1 percent a day ago, boosted by strong equities markets and Iran's missile tests, but gains were moderated by expected builds in U.S. fuel stocks.

Asian shares rose on Tuesday as news of several multi-billion dollar takeover bids overseas boosted confidence in a global economic recovery, while the yen slid after Tokyo hinted currency intervention could be an option in some cases.

A national report into Indigenous eye health released today shows adult Indigenous Australians suffer higher rates of blindness and other eye related health problems than non-Indigenous Australians.

Asian shares rose on Tuesday, as news of several multi-billion dollar takeover bids overseas boosted confidence in global economic recovery, while the yen dipped after Tokyo refused to rule out currency intervention.

Xerox Corp plans to buy Affiliated Computer Services Inc for $5.5 billion to move into the outsourcing business, but shares of the printing company plunged on concerns that it was gambling on a major shift in strategy.

Chief Executive Howard Schultz called Starbucks Corp's Via Ready Brew perhaps the biggest opportunity in company history as he prepared for the instant coffee product's North American roll-out on Tuesday.

Blessing and Curse; Delta's Financing; Xerox Shifts

A federal judge on Monday agreed to move accused swindler Allen Stanford to a federal lockup in downtown Houston to be closer to his attorneys, who are sifting through over 4 million documents in his case.

Dongle may sound a bit goofy, but the innocent-seeming technology is emerging as one of the biggest challenges to the mobile telecoms industry in coming years.

Lady Gaga said she will be performing a new single of her new album The Fame: Monster when she makes her appearance on NBC's Saturday Night Live on October 3.

Oscar-winning director Roman Polanski told his lawyer on Monday to fight any attempt to extradite him to the United States for the 31-year-old rape charges.

Last year 28% of injured workers surveyed throughout Australia and New Zealand were not in paid employment six months after lodging a workers' compensation claim.

Thinking about 'friending' your boss on Facebook? You may wish to reconsider.

How do leaders create organisations that will emerge better than before the GFC? Leaders need to look beyond the tough times for opportunities in the current climate, keep an unwavering eye on their strategic objectives and use their values in decision making.

Media players like Apple's iPod will be set by default to a new, lower, safe volume level in Europe, according to a new rule passed by the European Commission on Monday.

The Australian Dollar opens higher against the greenback on Tuesday at 0.8720.