MARKETS / FINANCE

Inflation is unlikely to be a problem as long as U.S. unemployment remains elevated, according to economists from the San Francisco Federal Reserve Bank.

Giant oil company Chevron Corp plans to restructure its refinery operations, cutting some jobs and exiting some markets, a company spokesman said on Tuesday.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as investors bet that a Senate race in Massachusetts could put President Obama's reform plans, especially those on healthcare, in jeopardy.

Users wanting to call home form abroad are increasingly turning to Skype's Internet telephony service to the detriment of international carriers, new data showed.

The S&P 500 index rose more than 1 percent on Tuesday, led by gains in healthcare stocks ahead of a crucial election for a U.S. senate seat, which could decide the future of the healthcare reform currently being discussed in Congress.

Swiss banking heavyweight Credit Suisse says it will reduce its global bonus pool by 5 percent to pay for a new British tax on bonuses, but will cut deeper into the bonuses for its top managers in Britain.

Oil fell below $78 a barrel on Tuesday, extending a week-long losing streak as mild weather and a stronger dollar weighed on prices.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday as investors bet that a Senate race in Massachusetts could put President Obama's reform plans, especially those on healthcare, in jeopardy.

Parker Hannifin Corp , a maker of motion control technology for manufacturing and aerospace, reported a smaller-than-expected drop in quarterly profit on Tuesday, and said its restructuring supported profits during what is typically its weakest quarter.

Healthcare stocks pushed the markets higher in mid-day trading as financials edged up on Citigroup results.

Credit Suisse is spreading the pain of a UK tax on bonuses across bankers globally and Goldman Sachs has delayed announcing payouts to staff as a row over remuneration heated up on Tuesday.

Japan Airlines Corp filed for bankruptcy protection on Tuesday owing more than $25 billion, and vowed to slash 15,700 jobs and unprofitable routes as it tries to survive volatile fuel costs and fickle flyers.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and healthcare shares gained as a Massachusetts election for the U.S. Senate put President Barack Obama's healthcare reform in jeopardy.

Citigroup Inc posted a $7.6 billion quarterly loss on costs related to TARP repayment and still high loan losses, but the bank's shares edged higher as some investors saw glimmers of hope.

TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (Nasdaq:AMTD) announced earnings of $0.23 on Tuesday, missing analyst expectations of $0.26, according to data compiled by FactSet. Earnings were down $0.08 year-on-year and $0.03 quarter-on-quarter.

U.S. stocks rose on Tuesday and healthcare shares gained as a Massachusetts election for the U.S. Senate put President Barack Obama's healthcare reform in jeopardy.

Oil fell below $78 a barrel on Tuesday, extending its recent losing streak, as producer group OPEC said supply was ample to meet winter demand and trimmed estimated demand for its oil.

Citigroup Inc posted a fourth-quarter loss of $7.6 billion after taking charges linked to repaying government bailout funds.

Citigroup Inc, reported a loss of $0.33 per share for its fourth fiscal quarter on Tuesday, in line with analysts' expectations, according to data compiled by FactSet.

Twitter growth reached dizzying heights in 2009, with celebrities Ashton Kutcher and Oprah Winfrey helping surge new sign-ups, but the micro-blogging site is experiencing a significant decline in the growth of new users.

The central banks of China and Taiwan tightened policy on Tuesday to drain money from the banking system, marking intensified efforts in the region to head off inflation and cool asset bubbles.

The European Commission has set a provisional deadline of Feb. 19 to decide whether to clear a bid by Microsoft to acquire control of Yahoo Inc's search engine business.

In the latest sign of growing tensions between Beijing and business partners, Google is postponing the release of two mobile phone models, just days after threatening to pull out its search business.

Oil fell below $78 a barrel on Tuesday, extending its recent losing streak, as producer group OPEC said supply was ample enough to meet winter demand and trimmed estimated demand for its oil.

U.S. stocks were poised for a slightly weaker open on Tuesday after quarterly results from Citigroup Inc led to concern about the quality of financial sector earnings as reporting season ramps up.

Google Inc will not be treated as an exception to China's demand foreign companies obey its laws, the Foreign Ministry said on Tuesday, a week after the world's largest search engine warned it could pull out of China.

Google has postponed the launch of two mobile phones in China which use its Android platform, in the first sign its business in the country is starting to be affected by a dispute over hacking and censorship.

Citigroup Inc posted a fourth-quarter loss of $7.6 billion after taking charges linked to repaying government funds.

Goldman Sachs is likely to unveil details of multi-million pound bonuses to staff next week, a person familiar with the matter said on Tuesday, after a delay as the row over payouts heats up.