WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar has been knocked almost one US cent lower after the head of the Reserve Bank made it clear that another interest rate cut remains on the cards.
At 0630 AEST on Tuesday, the local currency was trading at 77.19 US cents, down from 78.13 cents on Monday.
And the Australian share market looks set to open higher after US stocks rose sharply on the latest Chinese stimulus measures and some prominent earnings that bested forecasts.
At 0645 AEST on Tuesday, the June share price index futures contract was up 37 points at 5,864.
ELSEWHERE:
ATHENS - The Greek government has issued a decree ordering all public agencies to turn in their financial reserves to the treasury in order to meet payments as the state coffers are emptying.
ISLAMABAD - Chinese President Xi Jinping has inaugurated a $US46 billion ($A58.77 billion) investment plan in Pakistan that aims to create direct links between China and the Arabian Sea and boost the sluggish Pakistani economy.
BRUSSELS - EU regulators will announce anti-trust charges against Russia energy giant Gazprom, sources close to the matter say.
ATHENS - The boss of Russian energy giant Gazprom will meet Greece's prime minister in Athens, after reports that the two parties are set to sign a pipeline deal in which Russia would make billions in an advance payment to cash-strapped Greece.
HOUSTON - Halliburton has cut 9000 jobs in about six months and is considering additional cost-cutting moves as falling oil prices reduce demand for its drilling help.
NEW YORK - General Electric, refocusing on its industrial roots, is in talks to sell its $US74 billion ($A94.54 billion) commercial lending unit to Wells Fargo, the fourth-largest US bank, The Wall Street Journal reported Monday.
HONG KONG - Stricken Chinese property developer Kaisa Group Holdings Ltd says it has defaulted on its US currency debt, making it China's first developer to miss a dollar debt repayment.
NEW YORK - US defence contractor Raytheon announced Monday it is investing $US1.9 billion ($A2.43 billion) to create a cybersecurity firm to combat growing threats in the business sector.
LUSAKA - Zambia has slashed by more than half a controversial mineral royalty tax after investors threatened to pull out of the copper-rich country.
LONDON - Private equity firm Permira said Monday it has agreed to sell Europe's biggest frozen foods company Iglo, maker of Birds Eye fish fingers, to Nomad Holdings for 2.6 billion euros ($A3.59 billion).
MONTREAL - American private equity firm TPG and China's Fosun have bought a majority stake in Canadian entertainment juggernaut Cirque du Soleil for an undisclosed sum, the company has announced.
JAKARTA - Budget carrier AirAsia is planning an initial public offering for its Indonesian affiliate around the middle of next year and hopes to raise $US300 million ($A383 million).
NEW YORK - Morgan Stanley says its quarterly profit has surged 60 per cent as revenue from trading stocks and bonds lifted the investment bank's results.
LONDON - In the week the Apple Watch goes on sale, Google has announced a major update to the Android Wear software that runs on its own range of smartwatches.
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