International stocks trading in New York were mixed Tuesday. The BNY Mellon index of American depositary receipts edged up 0.14% to 141.05. The European index eased 0.02% to 138.43, the Asian index improved 0.15% to 150.71, the Latin American index rose 1.78% to 204.48 and the emerging markets index increased 0.73% to 254.45. Among the companies with shares that actively traded was BHP Billiton.

BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP, BHP.AU) said its board recommended shareholders approved plans to carve off a suite of unwanted assets at a cost of more than US$700 million. The board's final signoff brought closer what is tipped to be one of the biggest breakups in mining history. Shares of Australia-listed BHP Billiton Ltd. rose 2.1% to $46.14. U.K.-listed BHP Billiton PLC (BBL, BLT.LN) increased 2.1% to $43.43.

A slew of big, institutional investors who bought stakes in Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. (BABA) before its September stock-market debut will get a chance this week to cash in on the Chinese e-commerce company's explosive growth. Holders of some 340 million Alibaba shares will be free to sell as of Wednesday, when some "lockup" agreements put in place in the company's initial public offering expire. While the stock amounts to a sliver of Alibaba stock, the release will roughly double the amount of shares potentially available on the open market. Shares rose 50 cents to $84.50.

Citigroup Inc. and Barclays PLC (BCS, BARC.LN) are expected to settle as early as this week a lawsuit with private investors who say the banks manipulated foreign-exchange rates, The Wall Street Journal reported. New York-based Citigroup and London-based Barclays are expected to pay as much as a combined $800 million to settle the lawsuit, according to the Journal. How much Citigroup or Barclays would pay individually couldn't be determined. Barclays shares fell nearly 1% to 14.95.

Cemex SAB (CX, CEMEX.MX) aims to lower its debt by between $500 million and $1 billion this year, and could further cut financial expenses by refinancing as much as $2.9 billion in debt, Chief Executive Fernando Gonzalez told investors at the Cemex Day event. The Mexican cement maker's total debt stood at $16.3 billion at the end of 2014. The company expects average sales volume growth of 4% for the 2014-2016 period, driven by a strong U.S. economy and Mexico's recovering construction sector. Shares rose six cents to $9.60.

The North American headquarters of China National Offshore Oil Corp. said it plans to reduce its workforce by 13% owing to a slump in global oil prices, raising questions about terms of the Chinese state-owned company's accord with the Canadian government. Cnooc said wholly-owned Canadian unit Nexen Energy ULC would reduce its 3,200-strong workforce by 400 jobs, including 340 in North America and 60 working for its British unit. The company also plans to reorganize key business units and slow development on a new oil-sands project in northern Alberta. Shares of Cnooc Ltd. (CEO, 0883.HK), China National Offshore's listed unit, rose 10 cents to $132.77.

Novartis AG (NVS, NOVN.VX) said European regulators approved Jakavi to treat adults with a rare blood cancer, expanding uses of the drug in the European Union. Basel, Switzerland-based Novartis said Jakavi was approved to treat polycythemia vera, an incurable blood cancer. The drug received U.S. approval in December to treat the disease, also called PV, which can cause blood clots, strokes and heart attacks. Jakavi already was approved in more than 80 countries for myelofibrosis--a type of bone marrow cancer. Novartis shares fell 28 cents to $97.60.

Orange SA (ORAN, ORA.FR) said it would spend more than 15 billion euros ($15.87 billion) in its networks over the next four years as the French telecom operator aims to revive sales growth and profitability after years of decline with a new five-year strategy plan. Shares fell 1.7% to $15.92.

Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. agreed to purchase Royal Dutch Shell PLC's (RDSA, RDSA.LN) retail, commercial fuels and aviation businesses in Denmark for undisclosed terms, the latest in a string of acquisitions for the Canada-based corner-store and gas station giant. Shell's Danish retail business comprises 315 sites, including 225 full-service stations, 75 automated fuel stations and 15 truck stops, Couche-Tard said. Royal Dutch Shell shares increased 1.1% to $58.43.

Write to Tess Stynes at tess.stynes@wsj.com

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