IBT Staff Reporter

The world may soon achieve something long dreamed of by governments and policymakers: higher economic growth without using more oil.

The Federal Reserve is expected to hold interest rates near zero on Tuesday and renew its pledge to keep rates very low for a long time, but it could note a brightening economic picture and hint at being closer to dropping the vow.

Risk appetite among fund managers has grown this month with cash being put to work and equity portfolios being built up, Bank of America Merrill Lynch said on Tuesday.

Australia's top scientists on Monday released a State of the Climate report at a time of growing scepticism over climate change as a result of revelations of errors in some global scientific reports.

Valero Energy Corp said on Tuesday a hydrocracker is back at the west plant of its 315,000-barrel per day Corpus Christi, Texas, refinery after a planned unit turnaround was finished.

Wall Street was set for a slight rise at the open on Tuesday ahead of a Federal Reserve statement expected to reiterate the central bank's pledge to keep interest rates extraordinarily low.

Once upon a time South Africa was the largest gold producer in the world. But, things have changed now it has fallen to the fourth position in the world as the mines in the country are facing severe power problems and decline in the output. A further decline in the country's mined gold output in 2009 has now relegated the country to fourth position in the world gold production stakes.

Retail participation in gold investment is steadily rising, prompting the commodity exchanges to innovate products as well as delivery mechanisms with significant volumes being generated from retail products like gold guinea. Ahmedabad-based National Multi-commodity Exchange (NMCE) is steadily going ahead with its unique investment product, gold guinea. A guinea, weighing 8 grams each has created a separate class of gold investors.

Stock futures on major U.S. indices are up in the European session as investors digested the announcement of Senator Chris Dodd's financial reform bill and the steps Europeans leaders are taking to craft an aid for Greece.

Shares in National Australia Bank, the country's top lender, have lagged peers by far in the past six months as investors fret its acquisition moves are distracting it from the core banking operations.

(Reuters) - Popcorn and soda has filled the stomachs of generations of moviegoers, but with childhood obesity on the rise one studio head has a hankering to see yogurt and veggies at the concession stand, too.

A Chicago insurance salesman was sentenced to 30 months in prison on Monday for making nude videos through hotel peepholes of television sports reporter Erin Andrews and posting them on the Internet.

European Union finance chiefs failed on Tuesday to resolve a row over new rules to control hedge funds, a spokeswoman for the EU's Spanish presidency said.

Australia circa 2050, population 35 million, climate change induced rising sea levels have flooded the Gold Coast resort region, apartment blocks are now used to grow food and people commute in monorail pods above the sea.

Kuwaiti telecom Zain and India's Bharti Airtel have faced no obstacles in due diligence and expect the $9 billion deal to close on time, a Kuwaiti newspaper said on Tuesday.

(Reuters) - Men with heart disease who also complain of erectile dysfunction die sooner than other male heart patients, researchers reported on Monday.

Shares in Renault and Daimler rose on Tuesday, lifted by reports the two car makers are in talks about an equity tie-up as part of a possible longer-term partnership to cope with the industry's recession.

European Union finance ministers discuss on Tuesday whether regulators should curb the sovereign credit default swaps (CDS) market after Greece accused speculators of amplifying its debt woes.

(Reuters) - People with a family history of Alzheimer's disease often have clumps of a toxic protein in their brains even though they are perfectly healthy, researchers said on Monday.

Power distribution problems after a devastating earthquake in Chile could cut copper output more than 25 percent in the world's top producer of the red metal, creating supply fears and lifting global copper prices.

Stock index futures rose on Tuesday ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting where policy-makers are expected to reiterate a pledge to keep interest rates very low for a long time.

Extortion by corrupt officials in Russia has got so bad that some Western multinationals are considering pulling out altogether, the head of a U.S. anti-bribery group said in an interview.

EU finance ministers on Tuesday discussed standby plans drawn up by countries using the euro to provide Greece with financial help if it becomes the first state in 11 years of monetary union to seek such aid.

Shanghai unveils a $2.2 billion airport terminal on Tuesday, connected to the center of China's commercial hub by one of several new metro lines being built for the World Expo that opens in May.

Google should obey Chinese government rules even if it decides to retreat from the country over hacking and censorship complaints, a Chinese government spokesman said on Tuesday.

Royal Dutch Shell Plc said it was planning a return to robust growth in oil and gas production after seven years of decline and unveiled strong reserves additions that should underpin longer-term growth aims. Europe's largest oil company by market value said it was targeting output of 3.5 million barrels of oil equivalent per day in 2012, up from 3.15 million in 2009 -- equivalent...

Stocks index futures edged up on Tuesday, pointing to a slightly firmer start for Wall Street, ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting where policymakers are expected to reiterate a pledge to keep interest rates low for a long time.

World stocks climbed on Tuesday while the dollar was corralled as investors bet the U.S. central bank will repeat its vow of keeping interest rates low for an extended period after its monthly meeting.

Midwives in Australia can now provide care with insurance under the new law passed by the parliament.