Reuters - Wal-Mart Stores Inc is cutting prices on popular toys and ramping up the opening of Christmas shops in its U.S. stores as the retailer tries to win sales from cash-strapped shoppers ahead of what could be the worst holiday season in 17 years.

Reuters - President George W. Bush on Tuesday signed into law a mammoth spending bill to keep the government running until early March 2009 that includes a $25 billion loan package for troubled automakers.

Reuters - U.S. securities regulators on Tuesday gave the financial industry a reprieve from marking hard-to-value assets down to fire sale prices, throwing a lifeline to an industry beset by strained credit markets and the latest round of bank failures.

Reuters - A revamped financial rescue plan aimed at restoring market confidence faces a vote by the Senate late on Wednesday, reviving hopes that the lawmakers can turn the tide in the global banking crisis.

AP - With the holiday shopping season about to start, consumer confidence is hovering near the lowest it's been since President Bush's father was commander in chief. It may dip more as Americans open their 401(k) statements and see how much they've lost in the last few weeks.

AFP - US and European markets were higher Tuesday as investors hoped another vote on the US financial bailout package would see the plan passed and a start made on reining in the global turmoil.

Reuters - Oil rose more than $4 on Tuesday to above $100 a barrel as expectations U.S. lawmakers would pass a financial stability plan boosted global markets.

Reuters - President George W. Bush eased pressure on financial markets Tuesday with assurances that a $700 billion bailout for the financial sector can be revived, but the crisis spread further through European banks.

Reuters - Stocks on Tuesday clawed back from Wall Street's worst slide in more than 20 years on Monday as investors bet Washington would resuscitate a plan to stabilize the U.S. financial sector despite Monday's defeat.

AFP - Britain's biggest retailer Tesco said on Tuesday that its net profit jumped by almost 11 percent during the group's first half to more than one billion pounds as it beat off economic woes.