UNITED STATES

Australian Dollar: After gapping lower in early Monday morning trade yesterday the Aussie was unable to “fill the gap” back above 81 cents in Asia trading sideways for the majority of the session to enter early offshore trade around 0.8070.

The raging debate about the future of the U.S. dollar's reserve currency status may be masking the real drivers of its near-term direction.

U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu urged officials from the Americas on Monday to throw their weight behind a new initiative to reduce carbon emissions and make cities in the Western Hemisphere more energy efficient.

U.S. futures pointed to a flat to lower start on Wall Street on Tuesday with the S&P 500 index, futures for DJ Industrial Average and futures for Nasdaq 100 down 0.02 to 0.2 percent, at 0900 GMT.

The Obama administration's top climate change scientists will unveil a report on Tuesday that details the impact of global warming on the United States and argues for fast action against it.

The U.S. banking industry played down the Obama administration's proposals on Monday for the most wrenching regulatory changes since the Great Depression as just that -- proposals.

Iran's top legislative body said Tuesday it was ready to carry out a partial recount in a disputed presidential election that has prompted the biggest street protests since the 1979 Islamic revolution.

Russia will advocate a cautious approach to changing the system of global reserve currencies when the world's biggest emerging economies hold their first formal summit on Tuesday, the Kremlin's top economic aide said.

Microsoft Corp filed a lawsuit against three individuals believed to be based in Vancouver, accusing them of a form of click fraud by improperly using Microsoft's online advertising service for profit, court documents show.

U.S. software company Adobe Systems Inc said on Monday it had moved Acrobat.com out of public beta testing and would charge subscribers to use the online version of its popular PDF reader software Acrobat.

Artists like the Eagles and Christina Aguilera can now play DJ, at least online.

Officials at Malaysia's gaming firm Resorts World Bhd told shareholders on Tuesday it does not see any obstacles in investing in the Chinese gambling enclave of Macau, but has made no decision about the move.

David Letterman apologized on Monday for making a sexually charged joke about one of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's teenage daughters, as a group of Palin supporters planned a rally demanding the late-night TV show host be fired.

Software maker Medidata Solutions Inc has rescheduled its initial public offering until next week, one of the deal's underwriters said Monday, setting the stage for the busiest week for IPOs since April 2008.

Mexico's top building company ICA said on Monday it could sell up to 150 million shares in Mexico and the United States to finance projects in infrastructure and housing.

Iranians planned more protests on Tuesday against a presidential election they say was rigged but the focus of their anger, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, left the country to attend an international meeting.

The new commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan plans an immediate review of operations to ensure his troops are focused on safeguarding key population centers, The Washington Post reported on Tuesday.

Investment bank Nomura Holdings and insurer T&D Holdings are among the firms in the second round of bidding for Citigroup's asset management arm in Japan in a deal likely to exceed $1 billion, five sources familiar with the matter said.

President Barack Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak are expected to show a united front against North Korea when they meet on Tuesday, but they may not make much progress on free trade pact that has been stalled for two years.

Oil fell for a third day toward $70 a barrel on Tuesday as a firm dollar and stock market declines pulled prices further from eight-month highs.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on Tuesday defied mass protests against his re-election by visiting Russia for a summit.