IBT Staff Reporter

The White House and the Congressional Budget Office are expected to release new estimates on Tuesday of the scope of federal budget deficits and the health of the U.S. economy.

The White House and U.S. Congress will issue separate budget estimates on Tuesday that could slow President Barack Obama's domestic policy proposals as he faces increased skepticism among lawmakers.

Sales of tenant-in-common interests have plummeted, but don't count the securitized real estate industry out just yet.

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HBO is considering a show based on

Reality production company RDF aims to launch the first interactive animated series in the United States.

Commodity prices have continued to drop sending the South African Rand and Aussie dollar lower this morning. Risk appetite has taken a hit as increasing loan losses in the U.S and lower profits from companies in China saps demand for riskier assets. This has sent the dollar and Yen higher as the usual market mechanics continue to ring true. While the markets are largely anticipating the current bounce back in the economy companies are finding a hard time justifying this excessive optimism.

Bankrupt flash memory chips maker Spansion Inc (SPSNQ.PK) said it had agreed to sell its manufacturing facility in China to Taiwan's Powertech Technology Inc (6239.TW) for about $31 million in cash as part of its reorganization plan.

A new reality television show about the life of actor and martial arts expert Steven Seagal became the subject of a federal lawsuit filed on Monday in a dispute over who thought up the idea for the show.

A tough market can make even the most fiercely independent brokers reconsider their long-term ownership strategy. Here's what to consider before being acquired.

Repeat offenders who persist in illegally downloading music from file-sharing sites such as Limewire could be blocked from accessing the Web under British government proposals issued on Tuesday.

U.S. President Barack Obama will nominate Ben Bernanke to a second term as chairman of the Federal Reserve on Tuesday, seeking to keep him in place to steer the world's largest economy out of its deepest downturn since the Great Depression.

Top office products retailer Staples Inc reported a 38 percent drop in quarterly profit as costs increased.

Tokyo was the most active market for office property transactions in the first half of this year, buoyed by major deals in prime properties, a real estate market research firm said.

U.S. economic activity improved again in July from extremely weak levels earlier this year, suggesting the recession is waning, a report from the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago showed on Monday.

British online gaming group PartyGaming Plc said on Tuesday it agreed to buy U.S.-based branded gaming firm WPT Enterprises Inc , known as World Poker Tour, for $12.3 million in cash.

Oil bounced above $74 on Tuesday, nearly recouping earlier losses in line with equity markets ahead of a spate of U.S. economics data.

Big Lots Inc posted a higher-than-expected quarterly profit on Tuesday as the close-out retailer offset falling sales with tight expense controls.

Short sales now account for the majority of some real estate agents' transactions. To ensure they have plenty of time to list and show properties, many of these agents are working with short-sale negotiators, who spend much of their time on the phone negotiating with lenders on behalf of sellers.

Medical device maker Medtronic Inc said on Tuesday quarterly earnings fell 38 percent due to restructuring and litigation charges.

A widening price gap, fuelled by a weak pound, is behind the current shortage of some medicines in Britain as more drugs are exported by middlemen for profit, the pharmaceutical industry said on Tuesday.

Hungary plans to issue new convertible bonds worth around 800 million euros before Sept. 28 to refinance expiring debt held by pharmaceutical firm Gedeon Richter GDRB.BU, the state asset management company said.

Bills to extend the maximum $8,000 tax credit for first-time home buyers, which expires Nov. 30, are pending in both the U.S. House and the Senate.

First-half sales and profits fell at British medical technology group Corin (COCRG.L), hit by weak demand for its Cormet hip resurfacing product and lower sales to U.S. orthopaedics giant Stryker (SYK.N).

Stock index futures were higher on Tuesday on news that Ben Bernanke will be renominated as chairman of the Federal Reserve and ahead of key consumer confidence and housing data.

Bank of America Corp and the top U.S. securities regulator sought to persuade a judge to approve their $33 million settlement of a civil lawsuit over the lack of disclosure of billions of dollars of bonuses at Merrill Lynch & Co.

Uncertainty over Australian and New Zealand plans to cut carbon emissions is hurting businesses in both countries, undermining stock market valuations and raising financing risks, big Australasian firms said on Tuesday.

The United States needs to have a climate change law in place before international talks on a climate pact begin in December, two top Obama administration officials said on Monday.

Stock index futures were slightly higher on Tuesday on news that Ben Bernanke will be renominated as chairman of the Federal Reserve and ahead of key consumer confidence and housing data.