CHINA

Yum Brands Inc , parent of the KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut chains, reported better-than-expected profit on Tuesday but shares fell 3.6 percent after its new 2010 earnings target missed analysts' view.

Cuts in global aluminum production, especially in China, should boost the metal's price and improve U.S. producer Alcoa Inc's earnings prospects, analysts said on Tuesday.

The U.S. trade deficit widened unexpectedly in May, led by a big jump in imports from China that helped overpower the best month for U.S. exports since September 2008, a government report showed on Tuesday.

Stock index futures pointed to a rise of nearly one percent on Tuesday after better-than-expected results from Alcoa Inc and CSX Corp gave a promising start to the earnings season.

The trade deficit widened unexpectedly in May, led by a big jump in imports from China that helped overpower the best month for U.S. exports since September 2008, a government report showed on Tuesday.

Alcoa Inc , the largest U.S. aluminum producer, posted a stronger-than-expected second-quarter profit on Monday and raised its estimate for global aluminum consumption, sending its shares up 3 percent.

Stock index futures were higher on Tuesday after better-than-expected results from Alcoa Inc and CSX Corp gave a promising start to the earnings season.

Stock index futures were higher on Tuesday after better-than-expected results from Alcoa Inc and CSX Corp gave a promising start to the earnings season.

The euro recovered on Tuesday after Greece successfully returned to capital markets for the first time since late April, while global equities advanced after Alcoa delivered a strong start to the earnings season.

The International Monetary Fund's chief reiterated on Tuesday that strong growth in Asia and Latin America made it unlikely that the global economy would suffer a double-dip recession.

China will fine companies up to 2 million yuan ($295,400) for sending misleading or fake information about price increases, according to a new draft regulation by China's economic planning agency.

The euro fell on Tuesday after a two-notch downgrade of Portugal's sovereign debt rating and ahead of Greece's return to capital markets for the first time since late April.

Asian shares surrendered early gains on Tuesday, weighed down by Chinese stocks, which slid on reports that Beijing will not relax tougher property measures any time soon.

Oil retreated on Tuesday to stay below $75, tracking Asian equities lower and on forecasts for a seventh straight weekly gain in distillate fuel inventories at top consumer the United States. Chinese stocks fell 2 percent on reports that Beijing will not relax tougher property measures any time soon, curbing early gains in other Asian equity markets and tempering strong U.S. corporate earnings and forecasts for a fourth consecutive weekly fall in the nation's crude stockpiles.

The board of American International Group Inc is expected to meet this week to consider the future of the insurer's Asian life business, AIA, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

Chinese stocks fell 2 percent on Tuesday on reports that Beijing will not relax tougher property measures any time soon, weighing on the Australian dollar and curbing early gains in Asian shares.

Agricultural Bank of China saw net profit rise 40 percent in the first half of the year to 46 billion yuan ($6.8 billion), the Shanghai Securities News reported on Tuesday.

Australia's dollar fell from its highest level in almost three weeks to an intraday low near 87 cents on the back of a drop in imports of iron ore and copper by China, the nation's biggest trading partner.

Stocks were little changed on Monday as China's weakening demand for materials weighed on resource shares and as the imminent start of earnings season pushed investors to the sidelines.

Stocks were little changed on Monday as China's weakening demand for materials weighed on resource shares and as the imminent start of earnings season pushed investors to the sidelines.

Stocks slipped on Monday, erasing earlier gains as China's weakening demand for materials and concerns over Europe's fiscal issues weighed on sentiment.