New York - Major US stock indices fell for a second straight day Tuesday as concerns over the economic impact of a growing swine- flu outbreak and the state of US banks overshadowed a massive jump in consumer confidence.

There were 64 confirmed cases of swine flu in five US states, and alerts have been raised across the globe. In Mexico, where the outbreak originated, more than 150 people have died of an influenza- type illness.

Delta Air Lines Inc led a drop in travel shares on Wall Street.

Washington - Kathleen Sebelius was approved by the US Senate as health secretary Tuesday, completing President Barack Obama's cabinet just shy of 100 days into his administration.

Sebelius, currently the governor of Kansas, will take over the Health and Human Services Department amid a growing swine flu outbreak in neighbouring Mexico and in the United States.

There were 64 confirmed cases of swine flu Tuesday in five US states, with the largest outbreak in New York. California has declared a state of emergency.

With the aim of hooking laptop users of small and medium-size companies, the Palo Alto, California-based Hewlett-Packard (HP) has launched the ProBook s-series - a new line of its low-priced business notebooks, with fresh features. The ProBook substitutes HP’s Compaq line, though the company will continue with the Compaq name a master brand name in its other PCs.

Washington - Pfizer Inc, the worlds biggest drugmaker, Tuesday said profits were down 2 per cent and revenues were down 8.3 per cent compared to first quarter 2008 despite blockbuster drugs like the impotence pill Viagra and cholesterol-busting Lipitor. Net income dropped to 2.73 billion dollars, while revenues were down to 10.9 billion dollars, the company said.

Profits were eroded by the rising dollar, which lowered income from abroad, the company said.