JACKSON HOLE, Wyoming (Reuters) - Increasing political encroachment on the Federal Reserve, particularly from the Republican Party, could threaten the central bank's hard-won independence and undermine confidence in the nearly 100-year old institution.

PARIS (Reuters) - Societe Generale said it was replacing the head of its international retail operations, which have seen mixed results in markets such as Russia and Greece.

STUTTGART (Reuters) - U.S. business software maker Oracle has launched an appeal on a five-year long court case that could see SAP pay millions more in damages over copyright infringement.

LONDON (Reuters) - Prominent dealmaker William Vereker is stepping down as joint head of investment banking at Nomura , and has been given a new title, a move colleagues said would lead to his imminent departure.

SEOUL (Reuters) - Samsung Electronics Co said on Monday it would inspect 250 Chinese companies which make products for the South Korean firm to ensure no labor laws are broken after a U.S.-based group accused one of its suppliers of using child labor.

LIMA (Reuters) - Southern Copper was shutting its Peruvian smelter Ilo for maintenance work on Monday that will last a month, Chief Executive Oscar Gonzales said.

SEOUL (Reuters) - The South Korean labor union of Hyundai Motor Co narrowly voted in favor of a wage deal, averting more strikes and production losses at the automaker that had led to its first monthly sales drop in over three years.

TOKYO (Reuters) - Asian shares eased on Tuesday on concerns over weakening regional and global economic activity, but expectations of more stimulus from central banks and hopes for progress in tackling Europe's debt crisis lent support.

AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - German Central Bank President Jens Weidmann is completely isolated in the European Central Bank in his opposition to buying government bonds, a Dutch newspaper reported on Tuesday, citing unnamed sources.

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Lufthansa said about 190 flights to and from Frankfurt airport would be canceled on Tuesday because of strikes in a fight over pay and working conditions.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Finance ministers of the Group of Seven most industrialized nations urged oil-producing countries on Tuesday to raise output to ensure the market is well supplied, while warning that the West was ready to tap strategic oil reserves to offset rising prices that could hamper global growth.

BOSTON (Reuters) - Fidelity Investments said Tuesday Abigail Johnson was promoted to run all of the company's main businesses, the strongest signal yet that she could be the next leader of the mutual fund powerhouse founded by her grandfather.