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Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 5,446.23 +46.00 NZSX 50 5,073.09 +39.83
DJIA 16,370.59 -25.29 Nikkei 14,897.63 +176.15
NASDAQ 4,360.56 +8.59 FTSE 6,775.42 -48.35
S&P 500 1,875.73 +1.82 Hang Seng 22,579.78 -77.85
SPI 200 Fut 5,445.00 -8.00 TRJCRB Index 306.50 +0.25
Bonds
AU 10 YR Bond 4.069 -0.005 US 10 YR Bond 2.689 -0.001
NZ 10 YR Bond 4.570 +0.000 US 30 YR Bond 3.632 -0.005
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.8985 0.8957 NZD US$ 0.8425 0.8389
EUR US$ 1.3734 1.3726 Yen US$ 102.36 102.22
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1337.00 Silver (Lon) 21.320
Gold (NY) 1334.50 Light Crude 101.91
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Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks were little changed on Wednesday
after two days of sharp swings as investors shrugged off soft
data on jobs and the services sector, while keeping an eye on
developments in Ukraine.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 24.43 points,
or 0.15 percent, to 16,371.45, the S&P 500 gained 0.97
points, or 0.05 percent, to 1,874.88 and the Nasdaq Composite
added 5.379 points, or 0.12 percent, to 4,357.351.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Britain's top share index fell again on Wednesday
after rebounding from two-week lows in the previous session,
with updates from some companies disappointing investors and
tensions over Ukraine weighing on sentiment.
The FTSE 100 closed down 0.7 percent at 6,775.42
points after rebounding 1.7 percent in the previous session
following a fall of 1.5 percent on Monday on Ukraine tensions.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japanese stocks rose to a one-week high on Wednesday
after comments by Russian President Vladimir Putin eased worries
about military confrontation in Ukraine, triggering short
covering in battered shares like property developers and index
heavyweights.
The Nikkei share average ended 1.2 percent higher at
14,897.63, its highest closing level since Feb. 27.
For a full report, double click on .T
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The dollar rallied on Wednesday, shrugging off a
softer-than-expected U.S. private-sector payrolls report for
February that may have been affected by severe winter
conditions.
At midmorning, the euro was down 0.2 percent versus the
dollar at $1.3721 , pulling back from Friday's two-month
high of $1.3824.
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury debt prices fell on Wednesday, as
the market shrugged off weak reports on growth in the jobs
market and service sector and tensions in Ukraine calmed.
Ten-year notes were last down 4/32 in price,
pulling yields up to 2.703 percent after Tuesday's close of 2.69
percent. Thirty-year bonds fell 2/32 in price,
sending yields to 3.640 percent from Monday's close of 3.637
percent.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
LONDON - Gold edged up on Wednesday after weak U.S. data
cast doubts over the pace of the economic recovery, but gains
were kept in check by easing demand for safe assets as
Washington and Moscow set up talks to reduce tensions over
Ukraine.
Spot gold was up 0.3 percent at $1,339.16 an ounce by
1542 GMT, after dropping 1.2 percent on Tuesday. It hit its
highest since Oct. 30 at $1,354.80 on Monday after news of
escalating tensions in Ukraine hurt stock markets.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - Nickel climbed to a nine-month high on Wednesday on
persistent worries about an Indonesian ban on ore exports and
after China's leaders affirmed a solid growth target for the
year ahead.
Three-month nickel on the London Metal Exchange hit
a high of $15,345 a tonne, its highest since June last year, but
pared gains to close up 0.8 percent at $15,270.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Oil fell by more than $1 on Wednesday as fears
eased that Russia's incursion into Ukraine could lead to war,
deflating oil's geopolitical risk premium, while U.S. government
data reflected weaker oil demand.
Brent oil for April delivery was down $1.13 at
$108.17 a barrel at 1716 GMT, after ending $1.90 lower in the
previous session. The contract hit $112.39 on Monday, its
highest since Dec. 30, but by Wednesday it had dropped below the
200-day moving average of $108.41 for the first time in nearly
three weeks.
U.S. crude for April delivery was down $1.48 at
$101.85, after falling $1.59 on Tuesday.
For a full report, double click on O/R
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((Australia/New Zealand bureaux; +61 2 9373 1800/+64 4 802
7980))
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