(Repeat to additional subscribers, no change to text) ---------------------------------------------------------------- Snapshot at: 07:27 / 2127 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stock Markets
NetChng
NetChng S&P/ASX 200
4,945.91 +21.53 NZSX 50
6,734.3 +18.5 DJIA
17,716.05 +112.73 Nikkei
15,715.36 -17.46 NASDAQ
4,920.72 +76.78 FTSE
6,161.63 +70.40 S&P 500
2,066.66 +21.49 Hang Seng
20,206.67 +29.67 SPI 200 Fut
4,950.00 +18.00 STI
2,811.25 +10.33 SSEC
3,050.72 -2.34 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bonds
NetChg
NetChg AU 10 YR Bond
2.471 +0.018 US 10 YR Bond
1.758 +0.031 NZ 10 YR Bond
2.865 -0.015 US 30 YR Bond
2.586 +0.038 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Currencies
1700GMT
1700GMT AUD US$
0.7597 0.7564 NZD US$
0.6820 0.6812 EUR US$
1.1392 1.1358 Yen US$
109.77 110.37 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Commodities Gold (Lon)
1,221.40
Silver (Lon)
15.06 Gold (NY)
1,230.69
Light Crude
37.75 TRJCRB Index
167.52 +2.30 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks jumped on Wednesday, bolstered by gains in healthcare shares after the collapse of the $160 billion merger of Pfizer and Allergan (NYSE:AGN_pa), and by a rise in energy shares.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI was up 112.73 points, or 0.64 percent, to 17,716.05, the S&P 500 .SPX had gained 21.49 points, or 1.05 percent, to 2,066.66 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC had added 76.78 points, or 1.59 percent, to 4,920.72.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Pharmaceuticals companies helped Britain's top share index to move higher on Wednesday as Pfizer PFE (NYSE:PFE).N pulled out of a deal for Allergan AGE.N , prompting speculation over other merger and acquisition activity in the sector.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japan's benchmark Nikkei index ended slightly lower on Wednesday, marking its longest losing streak since the start of "Abenomics", as the yen hovered near a 17-month high.
The Nikkei share average .N225 fell 0.1 percent to 15,715.36 points, its seventh consecutive losing session.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares were set to extend gains on Thursday mirroring a rise on Wall Street, but heavyweight natural stocks could limit the increase.
The local share price index futures YAPcm1 added 0.4 percent, a 4.1-point premium to the close of the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO on Wednesday. The benchmark bounced off a one-month low in the last session but was still down 1 percent so far this week.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The U.S. dollar hit a fresh 17-month trough against the yen on Wednesday on doubts that the Bank of Japan would intervene to halt the yen's appreciation, while the euro inched lower against the dollar ahead of Federal Reserve meeting minutes.
The dollar fell below 110 yen for a second straight day and hit 109.85 yen, its lowest level since late October 2014, after Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told the Wall Street Journal that countries should avoid seeking to weaken their currencies with "arbitrary intervention."
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury yields reached session highs in Wednesday afternoon trading following a burst of selling in the futures market in advance of the Federal Reserve's releasing the record on its March policy meeting.
Several minutes later in the cash market, the benchmark 10-year Treasury yield US10YT=RR touched a session high of 1.774 percent, up nearly 5 basis points from late on Tuesday, according to Reuters data.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold fell 1 percent on Wednesday as a recovery in equities prompted some profit-taking after Tuesday's rally, while minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's lastpolicy meeting showed concern about "appreciable downside risks" in the global economy.
Spot gold XAU= was down 0.6 percent to $1,223.73 an ounce at 2:39 p.m. EDT (1839 GMT) after falling 1.1 percent. U.S. gold futures GCv1 for June delivery settled down 0.5 percent at $1,223.80 an ounce.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Aluminium prices dropped to their lowest level in nearly a week on Wednesday as worries grew that Chinese smelters are restarting output, adding to a global supply glut.
Three-month aluminium on the London Metal Exchange CMAL3 closed down 0.5 percent at $1,515 a tonne, paring losses after sliding to $1,495, the weakest since March 31.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Oil prices surged more than 5 percent on Wednesday, heading for their largest gain in three weeks, after the U.S. government reported a surprise draw in domestic crude stockpiles versus market expectations for a new record high.
U.S. crude futures CLc1 were up $1.85, or 5.1 percent, at $37.74 a barrel by 12:46 p.m. EDT (1646 GMT).
For a full report, double click on O/R
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