Stock Markets Net Chng Stock Markets Net Chng S&P/ASX 200** 7,015.60 60.20 NZX 50** 55.63 11,586.93
DJIA** 32,030.11 -530.49 NIKKEI** 27,466.61 520.94
Nasdaq** 11,669.96 -190.15 FTSE**
7,566.84 30.62
S&P 500** 3,936.97 -65.90 Hang Seng**
19,591.43 332.67
SPI 200 Fut STI**
6,990 -52.00 3,220.98 47.05
SSEC** KOSPI** 2,416.96 28.61
3,265.7475 10.10
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Bonds Net Chng Bonds Net Chng
JP 10 YR Bond KR 10 YR Bond
0.329 0.002 3.295 -0.009
AU 10 YR Bond US 10 YR Bond
3.242 -0.127 3.449 -0.157
NZ 10 YR Bond US 30 YR Bond
4.16 -0.07 3.6681 -0.068
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Currencies Net Chng Net Chng
SGD US$ KRW US$
1.3304 -0.0056 1,298 -5.42
AUD US$ NZD US$
0.6684 0.00135 0.622 0.0027
EUR US$ Yen US$
1.0858 0.0091 131.42 -1.07
THB US$ PHP US$
34.2 -0.24 54.4 0.1
IDR US$ INR US$
15,340 -15 82.505 -0.172
MYR US$ TWD US$
4.452 -0.018 30.526 -0.037
CNY US$ HKD US$
6.858 -0.0028 7.8479 0.0021
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Commodities Net Chng Net Chng
Spot Gold Silver (Lon)
1,967.14 26.9939 22.9314 0.5564
U.S. Gold Fut 1,949.60 8.5 Brent Crude
75.87 0.55
Iron Ore CNY879 -4 TRJCRB Index
- -
TOCOM Rubber JPY207 LME Copper 8,786.50 93
2.6
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** indicates closing price
All prices as of 20:48 GMT
EQUITIES GLOBAL - U.S. stocks retreated from near two-week highs on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised borrowing costs, but signaled that it might be on the verge of pausing future interest rate hikes amid recent turmoil in financial markets. Data also showed British inflation unexpectedly rose to 10.4% in February, lifting expectations for a quarter point rate hike at Thursday's Bank of England meeting, boosting sterling. For a full report, click on - - - -
NEW YORK - Wall Street gyrated to end sharply lower on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve delivered a widely expected 25 basis point policy hike, while hinting that it was on the verge of pausing future increases in view of recent turmoil in the financial sector. According to preliminary data, the S&P 500 lost 66.35 points, or 1.66%, to end at 3,936.52 points, while the Nasdaq Composite lost 190.93 points, or 1.61%, to 11,669.18. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 535.92 points, or 1.65%, to 32,024.68. For a full report, click on - - - -
LONDON - European stocks edged higher on Wednesday, extending gains for a third day, as investors awaited a crucial monetary policy decision from the Federal Reserve amid turmoil in the banking sector. The pan-European STOXX 600 index inched 0.2% up after a two-day bounce. For a full report, click on - - - -
TOKYO - Japan's financial stocks joined a global rally on Wednesday to help lift the Nikkei share average by 1.9%, its biggest gain in two months, even as investors braced for a crucial U.S. Federal Reserve policy decision later in the day. The Nikkei rose 1.9%, its biggest gain since Jan. 18, to end the day at 27,466.61. For a full report, click on - - - -
SHANGHAI - China and Hong Kong stocks rallied for a second day after U.S. banking stocks rebounded overnight on hopes that a global banking crisis has been averted for now, while investors waited for the Federal Reserve's monetary policy decision later in the day. China's blue-chip CSI 300 Index were up 0.43%, while the Shanghai Composite Index climbed 0.31%. For a full report, click on - - - -
AUSTRALIA - Australian shares were set to open lower on Thursday, tracking overnight Wall Street losses, after the U.S. Federal Reserve hiked its key policy rate, while weak iron ore prices may dent local miners.
The local share price index futures fell 0.7%, a 25.6 point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index close. The benchmark closed 0.9% higher on Wednesday. For a full report, click on - - - -
SEOUL - South Korean shares jumped on Wednesday as commitment by the U.S. to prevent a wider banking crisis lifted risk appetite, with the benchmark index returning to levels traded two weeks ago. The KOSPI rose 28.61 points, or 1.20%, to 2,416.96 by the close, building on a 0.39% gain in the previous session. For a full report, click on - - - -
FOREIGN EXCHANGE NEW YORK - The dollar slid on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised its key rate by a quarter of a percentage point, as widely expected, and pointed to just one more rate hike this year. The dollar index last fell 0.63% to 102.500, with the euro up 0.87% to $1.0861. For a full report, click on - - - -
CHINA - China's yuan eased against the dollar on Wednesday as investors awaited the outcome of the Federal Reserve's policy meeting. The onshore yuan opened at 6.8746 per dollar and weakened to 6.8870 at midday, 82 pips softer than the previous late session close. For a full report, click on - - - -
AUSTRALIA - The Australian and New Zealand dollars struggled on Wednesday after markets swung back to expecting more interest rate hikes from the U.S. and Europe with the ebbing of banking fears. The Aussie was hovering at $0.6684 , after falling 0.7% to as low as $0.6650, despite a broad improvement in risk appetite. It has support at 14-day moving average of $0.6660 and faces resistance at the 21-day moving average of $0.6692. For a full report, click on - - - -
SEOUL - The Korean won strengthened, while the benchmark bond yield slipped. The won ended onshore trade at 1,307.7 per dollar, 0.27% higher than its previous close. For a full report, click on - - - -
TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury yields fell on Wednesday after the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by 25 basis points, as was widely expected, and said policymakers believe beating back inflation may require only one more rate hike this year. Benchmark 10-year note yields were last at 3.502% and two-year yields were 3.989%. For a full report, click on - - - -
LONDON - Euro zone government bond yields rose on Wednesday as investors awaited the outcome of the Federal Reserve policy meeting, with fears of a banking crisis fading and European Central Bank (ECB) hawks calling for more rate hikes. Germany's 10-year yield , the euro zone's benchmark, rose 7 basis points (bps) to 2.345%. It hit its lowest level since mid-December at 1.923% on Monday after reaching its highest since July 2011 at 2.77% in early March. For a full report, click on - - - -
TOKYO - Japanese government bond yields rose on Wednesday tracking a global rebound in yields from multi-month lows, as easing concerns about a banking meltdown weighed on appetite for safe-haven assets. Like the benchmark 10-year JGB , the two-year note and 30-year bond had yet to trade. They last yielded 0.23%, -0.08% and 1.23%, respectively. For a full report, click on COMMODITIES
GOLD Gold prices climbed on Wednesday after the U.S. Federal Reserve toned down its aggressive approach to reining in inflation in a widely anticipated policy statement, and indicated that an end to interest rate hikes was on the horizon. Spot gold was up 1.7% at $1,973.52 per ounce by 3:56 p.m. EDT (1956 GMT), after advancing as much as 2%. U.S. gold futures settled 0.4% higher at $1,949.60 before the Fed announcement. For a full report, click on - - - -
IRON ORE
Dalian and Singapore iron ore futures extended losses on Wednesday, with demand prospects temporarily weighed down by China's consideration to cut its crude steel output by around 2.5%. The most-traded May iron ore futures contract on the Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) ended daytime trading 2.15% lower at 865.5 yuan ($125.64) a tonne, its lowest since Feb. 15. For a full report, click on - - - -
BASE METALS
Copper prices rose for a fifth day on Wednesday as dwindling exchange inventories raised the threat of tight supply, but investors were cautious ahead of an interest rate decision by the U.S. Federal Reserve later in the day. Benchmark copper on the London Metal Exchange (LME) was up 1.4% at $8,881.50 a tonne by 1700 GMT, extending its recovery from last week's 10-week low of $8,442. For a full report, click on - - - -
OIL
Oil prices rose about 2% to a one-week high on Wednesday as the dollar slid to a six-week low after the U.S. Federal Reserve delivered an expected small rate hike while hinting that it was on the verge of pausing future increases. Brent crude futures rose $1.37, or 1.8%, to settle at $76.69 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude (WTI) ended $1.23, or 1.8%, higher at $70.90. For a full report, click on - - - -
PALM OIL
Malaysian palm oil futures tumbled more than 3% on Wednesday to close at their lowest in five months, weighed down by sharp losses in rival edible oils and crude oil, and lingering concerns over the global banking crisis. The benchmark palm oil contract for June delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange slid 117 ringgit, or 3.09%, to 3,667 ringgit ($824.42) a tonne, its lowest closing since Oct. 13. For a full report, click on - - - -
RUBBER
Japanese rubber futures edged lower on Wednesday, after a brief bounce earlier in the session, as traders remained tense about the outcome of the U.S. Federal Reserve's interest rate decision. The Osaka Exchange's rubber contract for August delivery , finished 0.6 yen, or 0.3%, lower at 204.4 yen ($1.54) per kg. For a full report, click on - - - - (Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)
