FT.com - Japanese shares were slightly lower in a light session of morning trade on Tuesday, as investors stood on the sidelines ahead of a slew of annual earnings reports to be released after the market close.

AP - Downturns in two key heart device markets as well as a $27 billion acquisition continue to weigh on Boston Scientific Corp., whose first-quarter profit fell 64 percent.

FT.com - London equities made progress in opening trade on Tuesday, helped by a warm market reaction to new business numbers from Aviva, but Yell Group tumbled on fears for the outlook for its US operations.

FT.com - Japanese shares ended flat on Tuesday, as investors stood on the sidelines ahead of a slew of annual earnings reports to be released after the market close.

Reuters - Stock index futures pointed to a flat market open on Tuesday, with the direction of trading likely to be determined by corporate earnings and data on housing and consumer confidence shortly after the open.

AP - Stocks were poised to open narrowly mixed Tuesday, as investors remained hesitant about pushing the Dow Jones industrial average over 13,000 but were cautiously optimistic after a positive outlook from Texas Instruments Inc.

FT.com - London equities reversed early gains on Tuesday as the index was hit by worries about the real estate sector in Spain.

Reuters - Computer printer maker Lexmark International Inc. said quarterly profit rose helped by strong branded unit growth.

Reuters - Pepsi Bottling Group Inc. said on Tuesday that quarterly profit fell nearly 15 percent, hurt by higher costs for aluminum used in cans and corn syrup, which is used as a sweetener.

AP - Stocks were poised to open higher Tuesday, as investors considered pushing the Dow Jones industrials back towards 13,000 after more companies posted stronger-than-expected financial results for the first quarter.

Reuters - Stock index futures rose on Tuesday as several major corporations reported earnings that beat analysts' estimates, but data on housing and consumer confidence shortly after the open may determine the market's direction.

AFP - Europe's main stock markets dropped on Tuesday after a weak performance by Wall Street overnight, while among individual share prices British directory publisher Yell dived 21 percent.

AP - Telecommunications heavyweight AT&T Inc. said Tuesday its profit doubled to $2.8 billion in the first three months of the year, its first full quarter since completing its acquisition of BellSouth.

AP - Occidental Petroleum Corp. on Tuesday posted a slight decline in first-quarter profit as U.S. crude oil production decreased and prices fell from year-ago levels.

AP - Specialty chemicals maker DuPont Co. said Tuesday its first-quarter earnings increased 16 percent, driven by higher seed sales and improved pharmaceuticals income. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance for 2007.

AP - Consumer data provider ChoicePoint Inc. reported Tuesday its profit rose 1 percent in the first quarter with a nearly 3 percent increase in sales.

Reuters - Computer printer maker Lexmark International Inc. said on Tuesday quarterly profit rose 7 percent but the results and its outlook missed Wall Street expectations, sending shares down 4 percent.

AP - BP PLC, Europe's second-largest oil company, reported a 17 percent drop in first-quarter earnings Tuesday on lower oil prices and declining production.

AP - Whirlpool Corp. said Tuesday its first-quarter profit dipped 1 percent due to higher costs for materials and lower demand for appliances in the United States because of the slumping housing market.

AP - Lockheed Martin Corp., the nation's largest military contractor, said Tuesday first-quarter earnings jumped 17 percent because of higher sales at its technology unit and one-time gains.

Reuters - Publisher McGraw-Hill Cos. Inc. reported a higher quarterly profit on Tuesday, helped by strong performance at its Standard & Poor's unit.

AP - Wall Street extended its retreat Tuesday, falling moderately after disappointing housing and consumer confidence data offset another batch of stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings.

FT.com - Wall Street stocks fell on Tuesday after a sharp fall in existing home sales rattled investors and offset early optimism about a string of solid earnings updates.

Reuters - Stocks fell on Tuesday after weaker-than-expected data on existing-home sales and consumer confidence erased gains from forecast-beating corporate earnings reports.

FT.com - Alliance Boots on Tuesday became the first FTSE 100 company to fall to private equity after KKR, the US private equity group, and Stefano Pessina, the group's executive deputy chairman, launched an £11.1bn knock-out bid for the health and beauty group.

Reuters - Whirlpool Corp. reported a lower but better-than-expected first-quarter profit on Tuesday as strong international appliance sales helped offset declining U.S. demand, and its stock shot up 12 percent to a new high.

AP - Specialty chemicals maker DuPont Co. said Tuesday its first-quarter earnings increased 16 percent, driven by higher seed sales and improved pharmaceuticals income. The company reaffirmed its full-year guidance for 2007.

FT.com - Wall Street stocks edged up on Tuesday after a string of solid earnings updates helped settle concerns about weak home sales.

Reuters - The Dow again rose toward the 13,000 milestone on Tuesday, as gains in shares of IBM after the computer services company boosted its dividend helped drive up the blue-chip index.

AP - Wall Street traded mixed Tuesday after disappointing housing and consumer confidence data neutralized the positive effects of another batch of stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings.

AP - Telecommunications heavyweight AT&T Inc. said Tuesday its profit doubled to $2.85 billion in the first three months of the year, its first full quarter since completing its acquisition of BellSouth.

AP - Stocks turned higher Tuesday as investors shrugged off disappointing housing and consumer confidence data to focus on a raft of stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The Dow Jones industrials set a new intraday high, and resumed their trek toward 13,000.

AP - BP PLC, Europe's second-largest oil company, reported a 17 percent drop in first-quarter earnings Tuesday on lower oil prices and declining production.

Reuters - Whirlpool Corp. reported a lower but better-than-expected first-quarter profit on Tuesday as strong international appliance sales helped offset declining U.S. demand, and its stock shot up as much as 16 percent to a record high.

AP - Wall Street was mixed Tuesday, recovering from an early loss as investors shrugged off disappointing housing and consumer confidence data to focus on stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The Dow Jones industrials set a new trading high, and resumed their trek toward 13,000.

FT.com - Wall Street stocks held within tight margins on Tuesday after a string of solid earnings reports helped soothe concerns about weak home sales.

Reuters - Shares of Sun Microsystems Inc. dropped more than 4 percent after the bell on Tuesday after the compute maker posted quarterly results that showed a shortfall in revenue. For more, see

Reuters - The Dow Jones industrial average rose on Tuesday as IBM boosted its dividend by a third and as companies such as DuPont Co. posted strong earnings.

Reuters - Aflac Inc. , the world's largest seller of supplemental disability insurance, said on Tuesday that earnings rose in the first quarter as premium income in the United States climbed nearly 11 percent.

Reuters - Chicago Mercantile Exchange Holdings Inc. said on Tuesday that first-quarter profit surged 42 percent, but its shares fell almost 3 percent as analysts said slower derivatives trading in April could trim second-quarter results.

AP - Earnings at defense contractors Lockheed Martin Corp. and Northrop Grumman Corp. rose in the first quarter as both companies increased sales to military and government customers.

Reuters - Apparel maker VF Corp.

AP - Wall Street was mixed Tuesday, recovering from an early loss as investors shrugged off disappointing housing and consumer confidence data to focus on stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings. The Dow Jones industrials set a new trading high, and resumed their trek toward 13,000.

Reuters - The Dow Jones industrial average rose on Tuesday as IBM boosted its dividend by a third and as companies such as DuPont Co. posted strong earnings.

AP - Swiss chip maker STMicroelectronics NV said Tuesday its first-quarter profit fell 44 percent from the year-ago period on deteriorating prices and declining revenue.

Investor's Business Daily - Amazon trounced analyst earnings estimates Tuesday, more than doubling its first-quarter profit with sales that beat views on brisk Web traffic and favorable tax rates.