May 2 (Reuters) -

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** indicates closing price

All prices as of 1830 GMT

EQUITIES

GLOBAL - Wall Street stocks rallied and gold prices slid on Thursday as solid earnings from big tech bolstered investor risk appetite.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS rose 5.63 points, or 0.68%, to 839.17.

For a full report, click on MKTS/GLOB

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NEW YORK - Wall Street's main indexes jumped to around one-month highs on Thursday, with the tech-heavy Nasdaq leading gains, as strong quarterly results from heavyweights Microsoft and Meta pointed to a resilient outlook for the technology sector.

At 11:44 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 333.61 points, or 0.82%, to 41,001.86, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 71.53 points, or 1.28%, to 5,640.59 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC gained 398.64 points, or 2.28%, to 17,844.98.

For a full report, click on .N

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LONDON - European shares closed higher in a volatile session on Wednesday as investors assessed key data around the world and corporate earnings, ending a sluggish month marred by President Donald Trump's erratic tariff policy.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX closed 0.3% higher on Wednesday, helped by a 1.3% rise in healthcare stocks .SXDP.

For a full report, click on .EU

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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average rose on Thursday, extending early gains after the Bank of Japan slashed growth and inflation forecasts in a sign it would take longer than previously expected to raise interest rates again.

The Nikkei .N225 ended the day up 1.1% at 36,452.30. The BOJ's policy announcement came during the midday trading recess.

For a full report, click on .T

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SHANGHAI - China's stock and bond markets, foreign exchange and commodity futures markets will be closed from May 1 until May 5 for the Chinese Labour Day holiday.

Markets will resume trade on Tuesday, May 6.

For a full report, click on .SS

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AUSTRALIA - Australian shares ended slightly higher on Thursday, extending their winning streak to six sessions, on the back of gains in technology and real estate stocks.

The S&P/ASX 200 benchmark index .AXJO closed 0.2% higher at 8,145.6 points. The benchmark rose 0.7% on Wednesday.

For a full report, click on .AX

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SEOUL - South Korean financial markets are closed on Thursday for a public holiday. Markets will resume trade at normal hours on Friday, May 2.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEW YORK - The yen sank on Thursday as the Bank of Japan lowered growth forecasts due to U.S. tariffs and left interest rates on hold, while the dollar continued its bounceback on growing optimism about trade deals between the United States and its partners.

Volume was thinner than normal, as many international markets were closed on Thursday for the May Day holiday.

For a full report, click on USD/

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SHANGHAI - China's stock and bond markets, foreign exchange and commodity futures markets will be closed from May 1 until May 5 for the Chinese Labour Day holiday.

Markets will resume trade on Tuesday, May 6.

For a full report, click on CNY/

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AUSTRALIA - The Australian and New Zealand dollars drifted higher on Thursday after a bumper April that saw them both notch fresh multi-month peaks amid all the tariff chaos, although resistance is still heavy in the near-term.

The Aussie AUD=D3 was 0.3% firmer at $0.6420, having edged up 0.3% overnight to a high of $0.6417, within a whisker of its 2025 high of $0.6450. Buyers have emerged around $0.6344, which is the near-term support level.

For a full report, click on AUD/

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SEOUL - South Korean financial markets are closed on Thursday for a public holiday. Markets will resume trade at normal hours on Friday, May 2.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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TREASURIES

NEW YORK - Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields rose from three-week lows on Thursday after a better than expected manufacturing report for April, which also showed that tariffs on imported goods were straining supply chains and maintaining elevated prices for inputs.

The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes US10YT=RR was last up 3.3 basis points at 4.208%, after earlier reaching 4.124%, the lowest since April 7.

For a full report, click on US/

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LONDON - Because of holidays in several markets on Thursday, May 1, there will be no euro zone government bond report.

For a full report, click on GVD/EUR

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TOKYO - Japan's government bonds (JGBs) rose on Thursday, driving yields lower, after the nation's central bank said it hadbecome more pessimistic about the economy.

The 10-year JGB yield JP10YTN=JBTC fell 5 basis points to 1.26%, a three-week low.

For a full report, click on JP/

COMMODITIES

GOLD - Gold dropped to a two-week low on Thursday, pressured by signals of softening trade tensions and a holiday in top consumer China, while focus was also on Friday's U.S. payrolls report to gauge the economic outlook.

Spot gold XAU= was down 2.3% at $3,211.53 an ounce at 1:44 p.m. ET (1744 GMT), after hitting its lowest since April 14 earlier in the session. Prices hit a record $3,500.05/oz last week.

For a full report, click on GOL/

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IRON ORE - Iron ore futures edged lower on Wednesday, posting a third straight monthly decline amid the possibility of steel output cuts in top consumer China, while demand slowed ahead of the Labour Day holiday.

The most-traded September iron ore contract on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) DCIOcv1 ended daytime trade 0.78% lower at 703.5 yuan ($96.81) a metric ton.

For a full report, click on IRONORE/

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BASE METALS - Copper prices rose in London on Thursday as hopes for progress in U.S. tariff talks with top consumer China and other trading partners provided support to the metal.

Benchmark three-month copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange $(LME.AU)$ was up 1.0% at $9,214 per metric ton by 1601 GMT, attempting to hold above its 21-day moving average of $9,195.

For a full report, click on MET/L

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OIL - Oil held steady on Thursday after strong earnings from Meta META.O and Microsoft MSFT.Osupported U.S. equities and postponement of U.S.-Iran talks offset concerns about the U.S. economy and the prospect of higher OPEC+ oil output.

Brent crude futures LCOc1 fell 18 cents or 0.2% to $60.90. Both contracts fell over 1% earlier.

For a full report, click on O/R

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PALM OIL - Malaysian palm oil futures extended losses for a third straight session on Wednesday as concerns over higher production and inventory levels continued to weigh on market sentiment.

The benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for July delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange had slid by 33 ringgit, or 0.84%, to 3,910 ringgit ($906.77) a metric ton at closing, its lowest closing price since September 20 last year.

For a full report, click on POI/

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RUBBER - Japanese rubber futures ended flat on Thursday as investors remained cautious amid fears over a slowing global economy, driven by weak economic data from top buyer China and the Bank of Japan's downward revision of its economic outlook.

The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for October delivery JRUc6, 0#2JRU: finished 0.1 yen higher at 294.0 yen ($2.04) per kg.

For a full report, click on RUB/T

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(Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)