UNITED STATES

Walgreen Co posted better margins for its second quarter by carefully managing seasonal merchandise, helping investors to shrug off disappointing earnings and sending its shares up.

The dollar edged higher versus the Japanese yen on Tuesday after a report showed sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell less than expected in February.

(Reuters) - President Barack Obama will revel on Tuesday in the passage of landmark healthcare legislation, a hard-fought win that will help shape his legacy and the Democrats' chances of holding power in the Congress.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes fell less than expected in February, according to a trade group report on Tuesday that underscored the fragile nature of the housing market's recovery.

Former heads of Sprint Nextel Corp and RadioShack Corp have launched a company aimed at refurbishing or recycling the estimated 65,000 metric tons of old cellphones U.S. consumers ditch every year and named Sprint as its first customer.

The soaring prices of gold prompted all gold producers across the globe to raise their output and that is certain to impact the gold prices in the coming months. Miners from all corers have reported a rise in production as several firms tried to cash in on the rising prices and reduced their hedging in anticipation of better prices in the coming days.

Walgreen Co posted quarterly earnings that fell short of Wall Street forecasts but better management of seasonal merchandise helped the largest U.S. drugstore chain improve margins and sent shares higher.

Wall Street was set for a flat open on Tuesday as investors awaited data on the housing market, which remains one of the weakest segments of the economy.

Google has not violated the rights of luxury goods maker Louis Vuitton and two other firms by allowing online advertisers to buy search keywords identical to trademarks, Europe's top court said.

Stock index futures were little changed on Tuesday, while investors awaited data on the housing market, which remains one of the weakest segments of the economy.

Walgreen Co posted a higher quarterly profit as it discounted less seasonal merchandise, but sales were pressured as the top U.S. drugstore chain dealt with cost-conscious consumers and a weak cold and flu season.

Stock index futures edged up on Tuesday, while investors awaited data on the housing market, which remains one of the weakest segments of the economy.

Toshiba Corp is in talks with a company backed by Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates to jointly develop advanced nuclear reactors, the Japanese electronics maker said, helping send its shares higher.

Google shut its mainland Chinese-language portal and began rerouting searches to its Hong Kong site, unleashing Beijing's ire and prompting worry over its prospects in China.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Wall Street on Tuesday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.21 percent, Dow Jones futures up 0.21 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures up 0.15 percent.

Asian shares inched back toward recent two-month highs on Tuesday as recovering commodity prices boosted shares of resource firms and as tech stocks drew support from gains in their U.S. peers.

U.S. jeweler Zale Corp , which expected to have secured funds to steady its finances by late May, is considering a financing proposal from Sun Capital Partners Inc, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Four Rio Tinto executives faced charges of stealing commercial secrets in China on Tuesday after pleading guilty to taking bribes in a trial that has thrown a spotlight on the country's opaque business practices.

Asian shares rose on Tuesday and edged back toward a two-month peak hit last week, supported by investor expectations of an ongoing recovery in the world economy, and as tech stocks drew support from gains in U.S. peers.

Google Inc closed its China-based search service and began redirecting Web searchers to an uncensored portal in Hong Kong, drawing harsh comments from Beijing that raised doubts about the company's future in the world's largest Internet market.

The U.S. mortgage finance system should be revamped, government guarantees should be clearly defined and risk priced accordingly, Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner plans to tell Congress on Tuesday.