Yahoo Inc missed Wall Street's revenue and profit forecasts as slight growth in its online advertising businesses was outweighed by higher payments to websites which send readers to Yahoo.

Japan's top trade negotiator sounded an optimistic note on Tuesday that he could reach a deal with the United States that is essential to creating a free trade pact covering 12 countries.

China will switch to a "registration system" for initial public offerings (IPO), ending the current approval process, the official China Securities Journal reported on Tuesday, a day after parliament began reviewing draft changes to the Securities Law.

Aberdeen Asset Management's head of Asian operations warned on Tuesday that Chinese money was moving "a bit like a casino" in domestic stock markets, while BlackRock called on China to reform its capital markets further to avert boom and bust scenarios.

The bill for shutting down Germany's nuclear power plants and building a safe disposal site for nuclear waste could rise to 70 billion euros ($75 billion), the head of a government commission told daily Frankfurter Rundschau in an interview.

Sweden's financial watchdog may increase the amount of capital the country's banks must set aside as reserves in a bid to cool a red-hot housing market, it said on Tuesday.

Members of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) should prepare for extra Iranian crude production when Western sanctions on Tehran are lifted, Iran's oil minister was quoted on Tuesday by state news agency IRNA as saying.

Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal is in no doubt that James Murdoch is ready to take a much bigger role at Twenty-First Century Fox, by far the largest part of the media empire that James' father Rupert Murdoch built.

Brent crude oil steadied around $63 a barrel on Tuesday, not far below the 2015 high, supported by worries that a civil war in Yemen could destabilize the Middle East, affecting oil supplies.

Hints that U.S. regulators could veto Comcast Corp's proposed $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable Inc have investment bankers worried about whether they will get paid, with smaller advisory firms particularly on edge.

World stocks climbed back toward all-time highs on Tuesday as upbeat European earnings reports and expectations of a sixth straight rise in German business confidence helped offset worries about a possible Greek default.

Oil Minister Ali al-Naimi says Saudi Arabia is producing near record levels of crude in April, underscoring the kingdom's willingness to defend market share at a time when oil markets have staged a fragile recovery.

A trust controlled by British financier Nat Rothschild and the parent of Russia's Siberian Coal Energy Co are considering making a cash offer for coal miner Asia Resource Minerals Plc (ARMS.L), which has most of its operations in Indonesia.

China's drumroll of policy support for its flagging housing market has met an unlikely foe: banks. Beijing has tried to revive a flagging housing market as it looks to arrest an economic slowdown, but banks are increasingly worried about bad debts and are not passing on policy steps like interest rate cuts and lower downpayment requirements to home buyers.

Equity markets rebounded on Monday after China took steps to stimulate its economy and Wall Street also rose on corporate earnings, while the euro weakened further on worries about Greece.

General Electric Co is in early-stage talks with Wells Fargo & Co about selling its entire $74 billion U.S. commercial lending and leasing (CLL) portfolio to the bank, according to a source familiar with the situation.

Kraft Foods Group Inc on Monday said it is revamping its family-friendly macaroni and cheese meal, removing synthetic colors and preservatives from the popular boxed dinner.

Oil prices ended in positive territory on Monday after a drop in stockpiles at the delivery point for U.S. crude in the second half of last week outweighed pressure from near record high production in Saudi Arabia.

Wall Street ended sharply higher on Monday after China moved to stimulate its slowing economy while investors bought up technology stocks on cautious optimism on upcoming earnings reports.

International Business Machines Corp reported a 12 percent fall in first-quarter revenue as the technology company continues to shed unprofitable businesses to focus on cloud-computing initiatives.

Founder Guy Laliberté has agreed to sell control of Cirque du Soleil, the world's largest theatrical production company, for about $1.5 billion, the Globe and Mail reported, citing sources familiar with the matter.

Japan's Daiichi Sankyo Company Ltd (4568.T) is selling its stake worth up to $3.6 billion in Indian drugmaker Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (SUN.NS), a person directly involved in the deal said on Monday.

Sony Corp on Monday unveiled a new high-end Xperia handset featuring an aluminium frame and a 5.2-inch screen, showing it is still in the smartphone race even as it scales down its struggling mobile operations.

China's central bank will inject some of its war chest of foreign exchange reserves into two state-owned policy banks to support the government's overseas development plans, financial news magazine Caixin reported.

Halliburton Co (HAL.N) warned of headwinds in its international operations and pricing pressure for its oilfield services in North America, its largest market, as an extended slump in oil prices continues to force drillers to slash spending.

U.S. stock index futures rose on Monday, following a sharp decline in the previous session, as Chinese steps to stimulate its slowing economy and earnings including those from Morgan Stanley lured money back into equities.

Chinese president Xi Jinping is due in Pakistan on Monday where he will launch $46 billion in projects linking the old allies, a figure that far exceeds U.S. spending in Pakistan and underscores China's projection of power in Asia.

U.S. arms maker Raytheon Co (RTN.N) said it would buy cybersecurity provider Websense Inc from private equity firm Vista Equity Partners LLC for $1.9 billion, including debt.

Wall Street investment bank Morgan Stanley reported a much stronger-than-expected rise in first-quarter profit, boosted by higher revenue from trading bonds and equities.

Global stock markets had a mixed start to the week on Monday and core bond yields fell as investors juggled Chinese steps to stimulate its slowing economy and a proposed telecoms deal in Europe with growing worries Greece may default.