Business News: General

HONG KONG (AP) _ Hong Kong's main stock index recovered early losses to close up 0.65 percent as airlines soared on tumbling crude oil prices.

DUSHANBE, Tajikistan (AP) _ Impoverished Tajikistan is rationing electricity again. National power company chief Sharifkhon Samiev says the cuts will happen nationwide every night between 10:30 p.m. and 3:30 a.m., except for in the capital and district centers. He said Tuesday that the rationing was due to low water levels at key hydroelectric dams.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) _ Malaysian shipping line MISC Berhad said Tuesday it has temporarily banned its vessels from the Gulf of Aden after two of its tankers were hijacked by armed pirates last month.

HONG KONG (AP) _ Most Asian markets fell Tuesday as political turmoil pressured stocks in Japan and Thailand amid persistent pessimism about a global economic slump.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ South Korea's top financial regulator said Tuesday it would consider fining U.S. private equity firm Lone Star Funds for failing to submit documents proving its qualification to remain a major shareholder in Korea Exchange Bank.

SHANGHAI, China (AP) _ Chinese shares fell again Tuesday to a 20-month low on expectations for an economic slowdown later in the year, led by heavy selling of financial stocks.

TOKYO (AP) _ Here is background on two politicians who have emerged as front-runners to replace Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda: > TARO ASO Aso is outspoken and confrontational, in contrast to the dour-faced and moderate Fukuda, who was a compromiser and took a soft line with political rivals and in international negotiations.

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) _ Opposition leader Anwar Ibrahim on Tuesday slammed a widening deficit in the government's 2009 budget that sparked concerns over Malaysia's economic health and vowed to unveil a more responsible budget if he topples the ruling coalition this month.

SINGAPORE (AP) _ Oil prices fell below $106 a barrel Tuesday in Asia $10 below its close Friday before the U.S. Labor Day weekend as investors shifted their focus to slowing global demand after worries about Hurricane Gustav subsided.

Oil plunged almost $3 a barrel on Tuesday to its lowest since mid-April, extending the previous day's rout on initial signs that a weakened Hurricane Gustav spared major Gulf oil facilities.

Wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty surged over 72 points to regain the crucial 4,400 points level at mid-session on Tuesday on brisk buying by funds in banking, refinery and airlines stocks as crude plunged.

TOKYO (AP) _ Japanese shares fell Tuesday as investors reacted negatively to a looming political stalemate in the wake of Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's surprise resignation.

The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex gained 143 points in early trade on Tuesday on fresh buying by funds in heavy-weight stocks, sparked by fall in global crude oil prices.

The Indian rupee held steady at its last closing levels against the American currency during morning trade on Tuesday as dollar demand subsided amid easing oil prices and a surge in local stocks.

It's a bad news for people hoping to get back on planes again and start their air travels. The oil marketing companies on Sunday announced a substantial 16 percent reduction in price of aviation turbine fuel or ATF for September.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) _ Australia's central bank cut its benchmark interest rate Tuesday by a quarter percentage point to 7.0 percent in its first rate reduction in nearly seven years amid slowing economic growth. The widely-anticipated move was the first cut in the cash rate since Dec. 5, 2001.

SEOUL, South Korea (AP) _ The head of Korea Development Bank said Tuesday that the state-owned lender is in talks to acquire troubled U.S. investment bank Lehman Brothers, South Korea's Yonhap news agency reported.

Oil extended losses toward $111 on Tuesday after Hurricane Gustav eased before slamming into the US Gulf Coast, pushing up the US dollar to a 7-month high against the euro and causing a broad sell off of commodities.

The Sensex is expected to open higher on Tuesday as a slide in global oil prices ease inflation expectations, but the market could face resistance on worries about slowing corporate earnings growth.

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) _ Russia has warned that both the Russian and Australian economies will suffer if Canberra carries out a threat to withhold uranium sales to Moscow because of the conflict in Georgia.