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Stock Markets
S&P/ASX 200 5,355.60 +11.00 NZSX 50 5,154.72 +12.98
DJIA 16,213.53 -122.66 Nikkei 14,462.52 +51.25
NASDAQ 4,298.80 -34.51 FTSE 6,573.13 -32.15
S&P 500 1,858.69 -13.56 Hang Seng 21,583.50 -14.81
SPI 200 Fut 5,327.00 -31.00 TRJCRB Index 302.91 +0.13
Bonds (Yield)
AU 10 YR Bond 4.180 -0.105 US 10 YR Bond 2.772 +0.093
NZ 10 YR Bond 4.630 +0.020 US 30 YR Bond 3.654 +0.027
Currencies (Prev at 7pm NZST)
AUD US$ 0.9026 0.9114 NZD US$ 0.8544 0.8599
EUR US$ 1.3826 1.3923 Yen US$ 102.52 101.56
Commodities
Gold (Lon) 1338.00 Silver (Lon) 20.750
Gold (NY) 1355.64 Light Crude 100.36
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Overnight market action with latest New York figures.
EQUITIES
NEW YORK - U.S. stocks edged lower on Wednesday as after the
release of the Federal Reserve's policy statement and looked
ahead to comments from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen.
The Dow Jones industrial average fell 31.56 points or
0.19 percent, to 16,304.63, the S&P 500 lost 2.53 points
or 0.14 percent, to 1,869.72 and the Nasdaq Composite
dropped 7.471 points or 0.17 percent, to 4,325.842.
For a full report, double click on .N
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LONDON - Britain's top shares fell on Wednesday as major
insurance stocks suffered a sell-off after changes announced in
the UK budget threatened their profits.
The drop in insurers' shares took the most points off the
blue-chip FTSE 100 index , which closed down by 0.5
percent, or 32.15 points, at 6,573.13.
For a full report, double click on .L
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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average rose to a one-week high
on Wednesday on hopes the Ukraine crisis will not deepen, but a
widely-anticipated market debut by Japan Display disappointed,
with the shares dropping below their offer price.
The Nikkei ended 0.4 percent higher to 14,462.52,
the highest closing point since March 13, moving further away
from a six-week low of 14,203.21 hit on Monday.
For a full report, double click on .T
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SYDNEY - Australian shares are set to open lower on
Thursday, following Wall Street's losses after the release of
the Federal Reserve's policy statement and as Federal Reserve
Chair Janet Yellen speaks.
Local share price index futures fell 0.7 percent to
5,323, an 32.6-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200
index .AXJO close. The benchmark edged up 0.2 percent on
Tuesday.
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FOREIGN EXCHANGE
NEW YORK - The U.S. dollar rallied broadly on Wednesday on
speculation of higher U.S. interest rates in the coming years
despite a pledge by the Federal Reserve to keep interest rates
unusually low even after the U.S. job market returns to full
strength and inflation rises to the central bank's target.
The dollar rose 1 percent to 102.46 yen, while gains
against other major currencies drove the greenback to a near
two-week high of 79.952 on a trade-weighted basis .
For a full report, double click on USD/
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TREASURIES
NEW YORK - U.S. Treasuries extended losses on Wednesday on
speculation of higher U.S. interest rates in the coming years
even as the Federal Reserve said interest rates may remain
unusually low even if the U.S. jobs market improves and
inflation rises.
U.S. 7-year Treasuries not prices fell one point as Fed
chair Janet Yellen speaks.
For a full report, double click on US/
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COMMODITIES
GOLD
NEW YORK/LONDON - Gold fell 1.8 percent on Wednesday after
the Federal Reserve dropped the U.S. unemployment rate as its
definitive yardstick for gauging economic strength, and made
clear it would rely on a wide range of measures in deciding when
to raise interest rates.
Spot gold fell 1.8 percent to $1,331.80 an ounce by
2:27 p.m. EDT (1927 GMT), on track for its biggest one-day fall
since Jan. 30.
For a full report, double click on GOL/
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BASE METALS
LONDON - London Metal Exchange (LME) copper rose sharply on
Wednesday after the market's drop to its lowest level in more
than 3-1/2 years prompted buying from speculators and consumers.
Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange CMCU3
touched $6,321 a tonne, its lowest since mid-2010, before
soaring to $6,584 in intraday trade. It closed at $6,553, up
from $6,483 at the close on Tuesday.
For a full report, double click on MET/L
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OIL
NEW YORK - Brent oil futures fell on Wednesday as worries
over sanctions affecting Russian oil supplies eased, while U.S.
crude oil rose on an inventory draw at the benchmark's pricing
hub and ahead of the front month contract's expiration.
Brent settled 94 cents lower at $105.85 per barrel
after falling by $1.08 to an intra-day low of $105.71 per
barrel, the lowest since Feb. 5.
U.S. crude for April delivery rose 67 cents to settle
at $100.37 per barrel. U.S. crude for May delivery , which
will become the front-month contract on Friday, rose 29 cents to
settle at $99.17 per barrel.
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))
Keywords: MORNINGCALL/