In a recent economic event, the Chicago Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) reported a score of 36.9, suggesting a contraction in the manufacturing sector of the Chicago region.

The National Association of Realtors (NAR) released their latest Pending Home Sales report, revealing a stronger than expected uptick in the number of homes under contract to be sold, excluding new construction. The actual figure came in at 2.2%, surpassing both the forecasted and previous numbers.

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's consumer inflation quickened in December, exceeding market expectations amid a weak local currency though it was still lower than the central bank's target. The consumer price index rose 1.9% in December from a year earlier, after a rise of 1.5% in November, Statistics Korea data showed on Tuesday.

Smiletradefx-- China’s manufacturing sector expanded in December but at a slower-than-expected pace, its third straight month of expansion as a raft of fresh stimulus measures provided support, purchasing managers index data showed on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the U.S. Treasury Department's computer security guardrails this month and stole documents in what Treasury called a "major incident," according to a letter to lawmakers that Treasury officials provided to Reuters on Monday.

Smiletradefx-- U.S. stock index futures edged lower on Monday evening after Wall Street fell sharply amid profit-taking at the end of a strong year. S&P 500 Futures inched 0.2% lower to 5,946.25 points, while Nasdaq 100 Futures fell 0.2% to 21,374.75 points by 18:34 ET (23:34 GMT). Dow Jones Futures were largely steady at 42,911.0 points.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Jimmy Carter, the earnest Georgia peanut farmer who as U.S. president struggled with a bad economy and the Iran hostage crisis but brokered peace between Israel and Egypt and later received the Nobel Peace Prize for his humanitarian work, died at his home in Plains, Georgia, on Sunday. He was 100.

SEOUL (Reuters) -South Korea's joint investigation unit has requested an arrest warrant for suspended President Yoon Suk Yeol over his short-lived imposition of martial law earlier this month, an official said on Monday.

MUAN COUNTY, South Korea (Reuters) -South Korea's acting President Choi Sang-mok on Monday ordered an emergency safety inspection of the country's entire airline operation system as investigators worked to identify victims and find out what caused deadliest air disaster in the country.

Tanese Orr and her husband, Robert Lashley, had lived in New York City’s public housing for over 20 years when Orr entered the city’s housing lottery.

Rebecca Douglas has been to Iceland 29 times. And she’s already booked her 30th trip. The goal of every trip is the same: photographing the aurora borealis, or Northern Lights.

Asia-Pacific markets opened lower on the penultimate trading day of this year, after Wall Street declined on Friday. South Korea’s Kospi