India Morning Call-Global Markets

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NEW YORK - U.S. stocks closed down on Wednesday for the second day in a row as investors stepped back after a recent rally ahead of jobs data due later in the week.

Healthcare stocks were the only bright spot in the market after a U.S. Supreme Court hearing and a cancer drug approval.

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LONDON - Britain's top share index rebounded late on Wednesday, helped by a surge in airline IAG due to strong traffic figures and by rallies in broadcaster ITV and bank Standard Chartered.

The FTSE 100 snapped a three-day losing streak to end 0.4 percent higher at 6,919.24 points after trading as low as 6,862.87 points in the early part of the session.

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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average edged up on Thursday after the central bank bought more exchange-traded funds, but gains were limited by investor caution ahead of U.S. jobs data on Friday.

The Nikkei opened lower, but rose 0.2 percent to 18,742.97 by mid-morning, not far from its 15-year high of 18,939.17.

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HONG KONG - Hong Kong's Hang Seng index trading down 0.75 percent.

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE

SYDNEY - The euro wallowed at its lowest in over 11 years against the greenback early on Thursday, having suffered a big setback as investors waited for the European Central Bank to announce more details of its massive bond-buying program.

The euro zone common currency fell as far as $1.1061, a low not seen since September 2003, surpassing the previous trough of $1.1098 set on Jan. 26.

"stocks closed down on Wednesday for the second day in a row as investors stepped back after a recent rally ahead of jobs data due later in the week.Healthcare stocks were the only bright spot in the market after a U.S"It was last at $1.1084.

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TREASURIES

NEW YORK - U.S. Treasuries prices were mostly flat on Wednesday after a weaker-than-expected reading on U.S. private payrolls growth contrasted with stronger-than-expected U.S. services sector data and created uncertainty ahead of Friday's U.S. jobs report.

The ADP National Employment Report showed U.S.

private employers added 212,000 jobs last month, lower than economists' expectations for 220,000, according to a Reuters poll. The figure was also lower than January's upwardly revised figure of 250,000.

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COMMODITY

GOLD

SINGAPORE - Gold edged above $1,200 an ounce on Thursday as equities weakened, but the safe-haven metal retained most of its losses from a three-day decline on robust U.S. economic data and strength in the dollar.

Spot gold had ticked up 0.3 percent to $1,202.65 an ounce by 0035 GMT, after losing 1 percent in the last three sessions.

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BASE METALS

LONDON - London copper was little changed on Thursday as markets digested China's latest outline for economic reform and braced for a central bank meeting in Europe and key jobs data from the United States.

Three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange edged up by 0.2 percent to $5,848.50 a tonne by 0136 GMT, after closing a tad firmer in the previous session.

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OIL

NEW YORK - U.S. oil futures rose on Wednesday and benchmark Brent pared losses as OPEC member Iran stressed that it opposed a timeline for a freeze on nuclear activities, news that helped crude rebound from an early slide tied to swelling U.S. stockpiles.

Comments from Saudi Arabia's oil minister that prices ought to stabilize from the selloff of recent months also helped put a floor under prices, dealers said.

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---- (Compiled By Dipika Lalwani)

FILED UNDER: Financials

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