LONDON - EUROPEAN stock markets pared earlier gains Tuesday ahead of an expected retreat on Wall Street, as investors booked profits on Monday's rally which pushed the Dow Jones industrial average to its highest level this year.

Analysts said it was unsurprising traders were taking a breather after Monday's big gains, when sentiment was buoyed by the weekend pledge from the Group of 20 rich and developing countries to maintain stimulus measures as long as economies remained weak.

HONG KONG - LAS Vegas Sands is seeking to raise US$1.75 billion (S$2.43 billion) in bank loans to revive its stalled casino resort project in Macau, according to its latest filing to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange.

KUALA LUMPUR/SINGAPORE - MALAYSIA'S biggest mobile phone operator Maxis Bhd is set to raise US$3.3 billion in Southeast Asia's biggest initial public offering, as firms rush in for multi-billion dollar listings taking advantage of a recovery in markets.