INVESTMENT

U.S. stocks rose modestly on Tuesday as a dividend hike at IBM and reassuring data that could signal a bottom in the economic cycle offset concerns that major banks may need to raise more money.

Oil prices eased toward $49 a barrel on Tuesday, paring earlier gains after U.S. stock markets rose following encouraging housing and consumer confidence data.

Citigroup Inc is talking to the U.S. government about its capital levels after receiving the early results of its stress test, but if it needs more capital it does not expect the government to provide it, people familiar with the matter said.

Shareholders of Fortis approved the sale of assets to France's BNP Paribas in Belgium on Tuesday, bringing the carve-up of the stricken group a step closer to conclusion.

U.S. regulators have told Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc they may need to raise more capital following stress testing of the two banks, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Fears about a possible global flu crisis and renewed worries over the capital health of some U.S. banks combined on Tuesday to rattle economists' hopes the financial system was stabilizing.

Stock futures pointed to a lower open on Tuesday as a report that Bank of America Corp and Citigroup Inc may need more capital revived fears about the stability of the struggling financial sector.

Fears about a possible global flu crisis and renewed worries over the capital health of some U.S. banks combined on Tuesday to rattle economists' hopes the financial system was stabilizing.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 share indexes are down 1.3-1.7 percent, pointing to a sharply lower start on Wall Street.

Futures for the Dow Jones industrial average, the Nasdaq 100 and the S&P 500 share indexes are down 1.3-1.7 percent, pointing to a sharply lower start on Wall Street.

Too many regulators currently watch over U.S. companies and a fear that some industries may soon face even more rules could be hurting the U.S. recovery, two top financial industry executives said.

US Steel Corp said Monday it will offer 18 million shares of stock and $300 million convertible note due to 2014 to pay its $500 million debt after its first quarter fells in the current weak demand of crisis.

The U.S. Internal Revenue Service is preparing to pursue other foreign banks for allegedly facilitating tax evasion by wealthy Americans following its high-profile case against Switzerland's UBS AG , an IRS official said on Monday.

3i InfoTech said Monday it will acquire JPMorgan Treasury Services national retail lockbox Business (NRLB) to strengthen its capabilities and their respective core business processes.

Money manager Invesco Ltd and billionaire investor Wilbur Ross are leading a group committing $1 billion to buy toxic bank loans and securities through the U.S. government's Public-Private Investment Program.

Societe Generale dismissed a report in French newspaper Liberation of a new financial scandal at the bank, saying the article had been based on a misunderstanding of its accounts.

HSBC Private Equity and Actis Capital LLP are preparing rival bids for a stake in Franklin Offshore International, sources said on Monday, as struggling private equity firm 3i Group Plc seeks to sell its majority stake in the oil services company.

The chairman of Fortis is optimistic investors will back a deal to sell assets to France's BNP Paribas, even without the support of Fortis's largest shareholder, he said on Monday.

Stock index futures traded lower, suggesting a weaker start for Wall Street later on Monday as worries linked to a global swine flu outbreak added to U.S. bank stress-test jitters.

Anheuser-Busch InBev has picked private equity firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts & Co as preferred buyer of South Korea's Oriental Brewery , a company official said on Monday, confirming a report.

U.S. stock index futures traded lower, suggesting a weaker start for Wall Street later on Monday as worries linked to a global swine flu outbreak added to U.S. bank stress-test jitters.