Global

 Emerging Economies Hurting Global Growth: OECD. The loss of economic momentum in some emerging market economies (EME) is affecting global growth, the OECD has warned, despite strengthening recoveries in most developed economies. In its Interim Economic Assessment, published Tuesday, the organization said that "transitory factors" had led to an uneven growth picture in several cases, with emerging economies of particular concern. "Given that emerging economies now account for over half the world economy, continued sub-par economic performance for several of the major EMEs is likely to mean that global growth remains only moderate in the near term," it said. Across the G7 group of leading industrialized nations, the OECD expects gross domestic product (GDP) growth to expand from 2 % at the end of 2013, to 2.2 % in the first quarter of 2014, before falling back to 2 % in the second three months of the year. (CNBC)

Asia

 Bank Of Japan Sticks To Easing Plan As Sales-Tax Increase Looms. The Bank of Japan maintained record easing, keeping ammunition as an April sales-tax bump threatens to trigger the deepest one-quarter contraction since the March 2011 earthquake. The BOJ kept a pledge to expand the monetary base at a pace of 60 trillion to 70 trillion yen ($677 billion) per year, the central bank said in a statement in Tokyo today, in line with all but one of 34 forecasts in a Bloomberg News poll. The bank lowered its view of exports and lifted its assessments of industrial output and investment. (Bloomberg)

USA

 Job Openings In The U.S. Increased In January As Hiring Fell. Job openings in the U.S. increased less than expected in January, a sign labor-market cooling from late 2013 persisted as severe winter weather hammered the eastern and midwestern U.S. The number of positions waiting to be filled increased by 60,000 to 3.97 million, from a revised 3.91 million the prior month, the Labor Department said today in Washington. The pace of hiring fell and fewer Americans quit their jobs. (Bloomberg)

 Wholesale Inventories Rise, But Sales Drop Sharply. U.S. wholesale inventories rose more than expected in January, as companies built up stocks of autos and machinery, though sales posted their largest decline in nearly five years. The Commerce Department said on Tuesday wholesale inventories rose 0.6 % to $521.2 billion after a revised 0.4 % gain in December. Economists polled by Reuters expected stocks of unsold goods at wholesalers to rise 0.4 % in January.

Inventories are a key component of gross domestic product, and strength in that category added 0.42 %age points to the economy's annual growth pace in the fourth quarter. Excluding autos, wholesale inventories rose 0.4 % in January. This component goes into the calculation of GDP. (Reuters)

Europe

 U.K. Manufacturing Output Grows More Than Forecast. U.K. factory production rose more than forecast in January, adding to evidence of what Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said is a broadening recovery. Output rose 0.4 % from December, when it also gained that amount, the Office for National Statistics said today in London. The median of 25 estimates in a Bloomberg News survey was for 0.3 % growth. Industrial production, which includes utilities and mines, rose 0.1 % -- less than the 0.2 % forecast -- as bad weather hit oil and gas output. (Bloomberg)

 UK Economy To Hit Pre-Recession Peak By Summer, BCC Says. The size of the overall UK economy will this summer overtake the peak level it was at before the 2008 financial crisis, a business lobby group says. The British Chambers of Commerce (BCC) thinks the second quarter, starting in April, will see GDP exceed the level seen at the start of 2008. In upgraded forecasts, it estimates economic growth will be 2.8% this year - up from its earlier estimate of 2.7%. But it also warns of an "unacceptably high" level of youth unemployment. (BBC)

Currencies

 Aussie Falls Along With Copper; Dollar Up Vs. Euro. The dollar rose against the Australian dollar and several emerging-market currencies Tuesday as investors continued to react to recent weak data out of China, which have amplified concerns that the second-biggest economy is losing steam. The Aussie fell to 89.78 U.S. cents from 90.17 U.S. cents late Monday. The euro fell to $1.3860 from $1.3872 late Monday. The dollar moved down to ¥102.95 from ¥103.21 late Monday. The British pound declined to $1.6616 from $1.6640 late Monday. The ICE dollar index , which pits the U.S. unit against six rivals, rose to 79.790 from 79.769 late Monday. (Market Watch)

Commodities

 U.S. Oil Falls To $100 On China Bond Concern, Stockpiles. U.S. crude oil prices fell below $100 per barrel for the first time in a month as the potential for more Chinese corporate bond defaults and rising crude stocks in the United States raised concerns about the growth of oil demand. Brent futures settled 47 cents higher at $108.55 per barrel. U.S. crude fell $1.09 to settle at $100.03 a barrel, its lowest settlement price since Feb. 11. (Reuters)

 Gold Rises On Concern Over Ukraine Crisis, Chinese Growth. Gold rose on Tuesday as fears of a slowdown in Chinese economic activity and worries about an escalating crisis in Ukraine boosted demand for bullion. Spot gold was up 0.7 % at $1,346.70 an ounce by 2:35 p.m. EDT (1835 GMT), having earlier reached $1,352.50, near a four-month high. Among other precious metals, platinum was down 1.1% at $1,457.80 an ounce, while palladium fell 0.9% to $765.90 an ounce. Silver gained 0.1 % to $20.82 an ounce. (Reuters)