WASHINGTON - THE Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (Finra) has handed Citigroup's global markets unit a US$2 million (S$3.06 million) fine, claiming a number of trade reporting violations.

The violations include publishing flawed stock quotations, Finra said in a statement issued on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON - CONGRESSIONAL Democrats vowed on Tuesday to all but strip AIG executives of their US$165 million (S$253 million) in bonuses as expressions of outrage swelled in Congress over eye-catching extra income for employees of a firm that has received billions in US taxpayer bailout funds.

'Recipients of these bonuses will not be able to keep all of their money,' declared Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, in an unusually strong threat delivered on the Senate floor.

NEW YORK - WALL Street shares struggled higher on Tuesday after a surprise jump in US housing starts buoyed sentiment, offsetting another round of belt-tightening from aluminum maker Alcoa.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average traded up 0.25 per cent to 7,235.29, after Monday's profit taking ended a strong four-day rally.