BUSINESS

Asian stock markets mostly advanced Tuesday as sentiment turned positive overnight on hopes that U.S. lawmakers will soon arrive at a consensus to avoid the "fiscal cliff.”

The U.S. stock index futures pointed to a lower open Tuesday ahead of the Census Bureau’s data on housing starts and building permits.

Japan’s all industries activity index fell in October compared to that in the previous month, indicating that the weak global demand was continuing to have its impact on the country’s economy.

Moody's Investors Service downgraded the credit rating of France late Monday, citing the risk to the economic growth of the second-largest economy in Europe.

The top after-market NYSE gainers Monday were Krispy Kreme, Qihoo 360, Sturm, Ruger & Co, Northern Tier and AmeriGas Partners. The top after-market NYSE losers were Celanese Corp, Atlas Resource, NeoPhotonics, SandRidge Energy and Ann Inc.

Foreign direct investment inflows into China fell in October compared to that in the same month last year, as investors, who are concerned about the renewed debt crisis in the euro zone and also increasing trade relations with Japan, cut down on spending.

The Bank of Japan Tuesday kept its key policy rate unchanged and refrained from announcing any monetary easing measures in spite of the political pressures to pursue aggressive stimulus steps for reviving the economic growth momentum.

The U.S. Justice Department said Monday it is suing KBR Inc., accusing it and a Kuwaiti subcontractor of improperly charging the government for delivering and installing trailers for troops in Iraq.

Asian shares rose Tuesday on hopes of a U.S. fiscal deal, while the euro fell after Moody's Investors Service scrapped France's top-notch credit rating, reminding investors of the protracted euro mess.

Black Friday shoppers have already begun lining up for 2012's best deals and steals more than a week early.

Twinkies might not be leaving your local grocery store shelf after all.

It’s hard to regulate what you can’t see.

ING Groep NV said Monday it brokered a deal to bypass some of the conditions it agreed to as part of a 2008 bailout.

With U.S. holiday shopping set to take off, Best Buy's founder and the company's current CEO are reportedly meeting in Minnesota this week.

Counting down to Thanksgiving.

The odd-even gas rationing system in New York City will be extended through Friday, Mayor Michael Bloomberg said.

SINA Corp, Allot Communications, Nokia Corp, BP Plc, Mellanox, Molycorp, Facebook and Focus Media Holding are among the companies whose shares are moving in pre-market trading Monday.

The U.S. stock index futures point to a higher open Monday ahead of the National Association of Realtors' home sales report.

Crude oil prices advanced in Asia Monday on fears that growing tensions in the Middle East may threaten supplies.

Japanese yen hit the lowest against the U.S. dollar in the last seven months Monday amid reports that policymakers in Japan were under pressure to further loosen the monetary policy to revive the economy.

Most of the Asian markets rose Monday as investor sentiment turned positive amid hopes that the U.S. congressional leaders will come to an agreement with President Barack Obama in taking the measures to overcome the lingering fiscal cliff.

Acting on intelligence gathered during a joint investigation by Chinese and U.S. law-enforcement authorities, Chinese police on Sunday arrested 73 people who are suspected of being involved in the counterfeit luxury-bag trade across national borders.

Thailand’s economic growth slowed down in the third quarter compared to that in the previous quarter, indicating that the weak global demand continues to affect the country’s economy.

Hostess Brands Inc. is unlikely to survive the bankruptcy process, but the future is still looking bright for many of its iconic brands, such as Twinkies.

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (NYSE: ITW) Chairman and CEO David B. Speer died at the age of 61 after an illness, the company announced Sunday. He was 61.

Sans the hysteria, the U.S. budget situation is like a living room getting cooler, not a "fiscal cliff."

Houston continues to roll through the AFC.

One of the workers missing from Friday's oil platform fire in the Gulf of Mexico was confirmed dead when his body was recovered on Saturday afternoon.

Stock markets in Asia are expected to move along with the global markets in the coming week in the absence of any major regional risk events and a light calendar for economic news.