A look at economic developments and activity in major stock markets around the world Tuesday:

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CAIRO _ OPEC nudged its 2010 forecast for global oil demand slightly higher, a week before a scheduled meeting, but cautioned that the pace of the global recovery may affect consumer appetite for its chief export.

The 12-nation Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries said in its December Monthly Oil Market Report that world oil demand was expected to increase by 800,000 barrels per day to 85.13 million barrels per day, largely from developing countries. That's a 70,000 barrel per day upward revision from its November forecast.

The group, which supplies about 35 percent of the world's crude, said the market still faced some risks linked in part to the pace of the world's ability to rebound from its worst recession in over six decades.

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WASHINGTON _ Foreign demand for long-term U.S. financial assets slowed in October and China's holdings of U.S. Treasury securities were unchanged.

Continued strong demand for U.S. debt is critical to financing America's soaring budget deficits and keeping domestic interest rates low enough to support a broad economic recovery.

Foreigners purchased $20.7 billion more in assets than they sold in October, down from a $40.7 billion increase in September, the Treasury Department said.

China, the largest holder of U.S. Treasury securities, maintained its holdings at $798.9 billion in October.

China's foreign holdings of Treasury securities are a direct result of the huge trade deficits the U.S. runs with China.

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HONG KONG _ China has outstripped the U.S. in the amount of money raised from stock listings, underscoring the region's stronger economy and a resurgence in investment.

Companies have raised nearly $52 billion from initial public offerings on exchanges in Hong Kong and mainland China so far this year, according to financial research firm Dealogic. That's about twice as much as the some $26.5 billion in American IPOs. In 2007, the amount of money raised from IPOs in Hong Kong and the mainland also exceeded the U.S. total.

Hong Kong alone has drawn more than $27 billion this year, making the southern Chinese financial center the world's top city for equity capital raising for the first time, according to Dealogic's records dating to 1997. Since 2000, Wall Street has led every year except for 2006, when London was the destination of choice.

The activity underscores the yawning gap in economic strength between Asia and the West.

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