NEW YORK - WALL Street powered higher on Tuesday as a surprisingly strong reading on US consumer confidence buoyed hopes of economic recovery, offsetting jitters over North Korea's nuclear and missile tests.
The blue-chip Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 196.41 points (2.37 per cent) to 8,473.73 at the closing.
ROME - CLAD in the colours of their teams, Manchester United and Barcelona fans began arriving in the Italian capital on Tuesday ahead of the Champions League final.
About 67,000 fans are expected to attend the final, including 30,000 from England and 20,000 from Spain. The bulk of them will arrive on Wednesday, the day of the final at Rome's Olympic Stadium.
BRUSSELS - WINE producers from France, Italy, Spain and Switzerland held firm on Tuesday against European Union plans to allow rose wine to be made by mixing red and white wines.
Their stand in Brussels came a month ahead of an expected EU vote - by experts on either June 19 or June 26 - to allow the mixing practice, which the vintners claimed will usher in the 'industrialisation' of the wine industry.
NEW YORK - US consumer confidence soared in May to its highest level in eight months, suggesting underlying improvement in the economy after a grim first quarter that witnessed a record plunge in home prices.
The Conference Board, an industry group, said on Tuesday its index of consumer attitudes jumped to 54.9 in May from a revised 40.8 in April, well above forecasts centered around 42.0.
