IBT Staff Reporter

Foreign funds will be the buyers of debt-strapped Spanish businesses putting up for sale signs in 2010, many for the symbolic price of 1 euro, the director of a niche investment bank said.

U.S. retailers performed better during the holiday shopping season this year than in historically dismal 2008, in line with lowered expectations, according to data released on Monday.

India's Jindal Power, a unit of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd (JNSP.BO), said on Tuesday it had filed papers for a 72 billion rupee ($1.5 billion) initial public offer, joining a raft of firms that have tapped the surging stockmarket in recent months.

Troubled U.S. trucker YRC Worldwide (YRCW.O) said it was again extending a crucial debt-for-equity offer as it continued to work to convince bondholders to participate.

Canada's International Royalty Corp (IRC.TO) said on Tuesday Royal Gold's (RGLD.O) C$749 million ($719.5 million) offer to buy the company is superior to Franco-Nevada's (FNV.TO) unsolicited bid.

UC RUSAL has secured a member of the Rothschild family as well as one of southeast Asia's richest men as investors in an IPO that could value the indebted aluminum firm at nearly $27 billion, sources said on Tuesday.

President Barack Obama assured Americans on Monday the United States will defeat those behind an attempt to blow up a U.S. airliner and sought to blunt criticism that his response to the incident was slow.

Home prices were unchanged in October, dashing hopes for a sixth straight monthly increase, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller indexes on Tuesday.

Strength in mining stocks helped Britain's top share index recover on Tuesday to levels not seen since before the collapse of Lehman Brothers in September 2008, though banks were weak.

India and Japan agreed on Tuesday to ease visa rules within a year to boost trade between two of Asia's biggest economies that are also trying to broaden cooperation in defence and nuclear energy.

In the summer of 1987, 19-year-old Mac McCaughan and his bandmates stumbled on an idea as old as rock 'n' roll itself.

Several thousand mourners attended funerals on Tuesday for victims of a suicide bombing that killed 43 people in Pakistan's commercial capital, an emotional reminder of a raging Taliban insurgency.

U.S. employers expect to hire more new workers in 2010 than they did in 2009, a sign the U.S. recession may be easing its grip, research showed on Tuesday.

Dutch ING, which is splitting up its bank and insurance arms, will sell its stake in Chinese insurer Antai to China Construction Bank (CCB) as part of its ongoing restructuring programme.

North Korea said on Tuesday it had detained a U.S. citizen who entered its territory, apparently confirming a report that an American activist crossed into the state to raise awareness about Pyongyang's human rights abuses.

Wall Street was set for a higher open on Tuesday after data showed home prices were unchanged in October and analysts said it suggested slow stabilization in the housing sector.

Somali pirates seized a chemical tanker and a cargo vessel on Monday, underlining the continued risk to shipping in some of the world's busiest maritime trade routes.

Tens of thousands of government supporters rallied on Tuesday, state media said, and a reformist party called on Iran's rulers to apologise to the nation two days after eight people were killed in anti-government protests.

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said he was appalled at China's execution of a Briton caught smuggling heroin on Tuesday, prompting China to denounce British accusations and defend its court system.

Iberian spot power prices sank to their lowest levels since 2007 on Tuesday due to a combination of low, festive-season demand and hefty supplies of wind and hydropower, traders said.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said on Tuesday U.S. plans for a missile defense system were the main obstacle to reaching a new deal on reducing Cold War arsenals of nuclear weapons.

European carbon futures fell slightly on Tuesday on the back of lower German power, despite a sharp rise in crude oil prices, traders said.

Ukrainian state energy firm Naftogaz said on Tuesday Russia had agreed to a 30 percent increase in the transit tariff for the oil it transports to Europe in a deal that calmed fears of supply cuts.

India's Jindal Power, a unit of Jindal Steel & Power Ltd, said on Tuesday it had filed papers for a 72 billion rupee ($1.5 billion) initial public offer, joining a raft of firms that have tapped the surging stockmarket in recent months.

Apple's data-hungry iPhone at times overwhelmed operator O2's network in London during the last six months but additional capacity helped ease the problem by December, O2 said on Tuesday.

Stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Tuesday as investors awaited data on housing and consumer confidence, two areas that are key in building on the still fragile economic recovery.

U.S. employers expect to hire more new workers in 2010 than they did in 2009, a sign the U.S. recession may be easing its grip, research showed on Tuesday

Not only was USA the most-watched cable network again this year, the channel increased its total primetime audience by 15% -- more than any of its top competitors.

A group led by Russian energy firm Lukoil signed an initial deal on Tuesday to develop Iraq's West Qurna Phase Two oilfield, as its partner in the venture Statoil said it had increased its stake.