(Updates prices, table) ----------------------------------------------------------------
0750/2050 GMT ---------------------------------------------------------------- Stock Markets
NetChng
NetChng S&P/ASX 200
5,111.42 -74.04 NZSX 50
6,577.82 +9.23 DJIA
17,251.53 +22.40 Nikkei
17,117.07 -116.68 NASDAQ
4,728.67 -21.61 FTSE
6,139.97 -34.60 S&P 500
2,015.93 -3.71 Hang Seng
20,288.77 -146.57 SPI 200 Fut
5,099.00 -6.00 STI
2,839.44 -7.62 SSEC
2,864.26 +4.76 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Bonds
NetChg
NetChg AU 10 YR Bond
2.667 -0.005 US 10 YR Bond
1.970 +0.007 NZ 10 YR Bond
3.130 +0.030 US 30 YR Bond
2.729 -0.003 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Currencies
1700GMT
1700GMT AUD US$
0.7458 0.7490 NZD US$
0.6601 0.6656 EUR US$
1.1109 1.1104 Yen US$
113.15 113.38 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Commodities Gold (Lon)
1,232.00
Silver (Lon)
15.27 Gold (NY)
1,234.90
Light Crude
36.76 TRJCRB Index
171.07 -1.31 ---------------------------------------------------------------- Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - Healthcare and materials stocks pulled Wall Street lower on Tuesday in a second straight day of quiet trading as investors cautiously awaited news from the U.S. Federal Reserve's two-day policy meeting.
The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI ended up 22.4 points, or 0.13 percent, at 17,251.53, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 3.71 points, or 0.18 percent, to 2,015.93 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC dropped 21.61 points, or 0.45 percent, to 4,728.67.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - A drop in the shares of major mining companies and a gloomy economic outlook from the Bank of Japan pulled Britain's top equity index lower on Tuesday.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 FTSE was down 0.6 percent at 6,139.97 points by its close, slightly outperforming the broader European market.
For a full report, double click on .L
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to open flat on Wednesday, pausing after the market recorded its biggest one-day fall in three weeks in the previous session.
Local share price index futures YAPcm1 edged down 0.1 percent to 5,099.0, an 2.4-point discount to the close to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 .AXJO on Tuesday. The benchmark fell 1.4 percent on Tuesday.
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TOKYO - Japanese stocks fell on Tuesday after the central bank decided to leave its main policies unchanged, resulting in a stronger yen that pushed exporter shares lower.
The Nikkei share average .N225 declined as much as 1.1 percent shortly after the Bank of Japan announced its decision. Japan's benchmark index gained back some ground to end 0.7 percent lower at 17,117.07.
For a full report, double click on .T
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The dollar fell sharply against the yen on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan left interest rates unchanged and weak U.S. retail sales data compounded investors' search for safety as oil tumbled and equity markets globally turned lower.
The dollar fell by more than 1 percent against the yen following data that showed U.S. retail sales had fallen less than expected in February, but were reversed sharply downward for January.
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury debt prices gave up most gains to trade narrowly mixed on Tuesday, as investors braced for the possibility the Federal Reserve could strike a more upbeat tone on the economy and consequentially raise interest rates at a faster pace than many initially expected.
In late trading, the benchmark 10-year note US10YT=RR was flat on the day to yield 1.962 percent, compared with 1.964 percent on Monday.
The 30-year bond US30YT=RR was last up 5/32 in price to yield 2.723 percent, down from 2.733 percent late on Monday.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK - Gold fell to its lowest in almost two weeks on Tuesday ahead of a Federal Reserve meeting that is expected to give clues on the pace of future U.S. rate rises.
Spot gold XAU= fell to $1,225.70 an ounce, its lowest since March 2, at one point and was down 0.3 percent at $1,231.50 by 1439 GMT. U.S. gold futures GCcv1 slid 1 percent to $1,232.70 an ounce.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Copper prices ended flat on Tuesday as a weaker dollar balanced persistent concerns over demand in top metals consumer China and uncertainty ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's policy meeting.
Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange ended 1 cent lower at $4,945 a tonne in official trade, recovering from an earlier low of $4,881.50.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Oil fell 3 percent on Tuesday, extending losses for a second straight day, as market participants cited technical resistance after prices ran above $40 a barrel and worry that U.S. crude stockpiles had continued to rise despite falling production.
Brent LCOc1 settled down 79 cents at $38.74 a barrel, a 2 percent drop similar to Monday's.
U.S. crude CLc1 finished down 84 cents, or 2.3 percent, at $36.34. In the previous session, it fell 3 percent.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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