FT.com - London equities markets made further gains in opening trade on Tuesday, with the heavily weighted mining sector at the forefront of the advance on a busy day for corporate newsflow.

Reuters - Finance ministers renewed their calls on the European Central Bank to refrain from hiking euro zone interest rates to fight inflation, telling the central bank that a rise in the cost of borrowing could kill economic recovery.

Reuters - The dollar powered to a two-year high against the euro on Tuesday, clearing technical hurdles on expectations the U.S. yield advantage will grow further, while the weaker euro and solid earnings boosted European stocks.

AP - European business leaders and governments closed ranks Tuesday, urging the European Central Bank to avoid raising its key lending rate and saying inflation was under control and will remain so in 2006.

AFP - EU finance ministers wrangled over a list of service industries that could be allowed to benefit from exceptionally low value added tax (VAT) rates, with Germany holding out on a compromise amid a looming end of the year deadline.

AFP - The FTSE 100 closed virtually unchanged on the session as a weaker start to Wall Street and some isolated profit taking offset gains in several heavyweights including the telecom sector following solid results, dealers said.

AP - Europe's fragmented banking market stops financial institutions from growing outside their national borders, the European Commission said Tuesday as it outlined why cross-border banking mergers happen so rarely in Europe.

Canadian Press - BRUSSELS (AP) - European business leaders and governments urged the European Central Bank on Tuesday to avoid raising interest rates, arguing that inflation is under control and will remain so in 2006.