Feb 19 (Reuters) -

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** indicates closing price

All prices as of 2003 GMT

EQUITIES

GLOBAL - U.S. stocks rallied, European stocks notched a record closing high and crude oil prices rebounded on Wednesday as investors parsed the minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's most recent policy meeting and assessed evolving geopolitical developments.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS rose 5.55 points, or 0.53%, to 1,047.99.

For a full report, click on MKTS/GLOB

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NEW YORK - Wall Street indexes rose on Wednesday, lifted by gains in Nvidia, Amazon and other technology-related heavyweights following recent jitters about artificial intelligence.

The S&P 500 .SPX was up 0.61% at 6,885.10 points. The Nasdaq .IXIC gained 0.99% to 22,801.32 points, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI was up 0.27% at 49,668.06 points.

For a full report, click on .N

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LONDON - European stocks surged to fresh record highs on Wednesday, propelled by a rally in defence and banking shares as investors assessed corporate earnings and reports of a potential leadership transition at the European Central Bank.

The pan-European index .STOXX closed 1.2% up at 628.69 points, with all major regional benchmarks finishing in positive territory.

For a full report, click on .EU

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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average snapped a four-day losing streak on Wednesday, as shares of companies seen involved in the country's pledge to invest $550 billion in U.S. projects jumped.

The Nikkei .N225 rose 1.02% to close at 57,143.84.

For a full report, click on .T

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SHANGHAI - China's onshore stock markets will be closed February 15-23 for the Lunar New Year holiday, and will resume trading on Tuesday, February 24.

For a full report, click on .SS

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AUSTRALIA - Australian shares were likely to open higher on Thursday, with possible gains in gold and energy stocks as bullion and oil prices rose on geopolitical risks.The local share price index futures YAPcm1 rose 0.2%, a 21-point discount to the underlying S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO close. The benchmark rose 0.5% on Wednesday.

For a full report, click on .AX

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SEOUL - South Korean financial markets will be closed from Monday to Wednesday for the Lunar New Year holidays. Markets will resume trade at normal hours on Thursday, February 19.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEW YORK - The euro declined on Wednesday after a report that European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde planned to step down early, while the dollar extended gains following a batch of economic data and ahead of the minutes from the Federal Reserve's January meeting.

The dollar index =USD, which measures the greenback against a basket of currencies, rose 0.33% to 97.45.

For a full report, click on USD/

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SHANGHAI - China's onshore yuan markets will be closed February 15-23 for the Lunar New Year holiday, and will resume trading on Tuesday, February 24.

For a full report, click on CNY/

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AUSTRALIA - The New Zealand dollar slipped on Wednesday after the country's central bank held cash rates steady and said policy would likely stay accommodative for some time, while allowing some scope for a hike late this year.

he Aussie dollar eased 0.2% to $0.7074 AUD=D3, having bounced from a low of $0.7028 overnight.

For a full report, click on AUD/

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SEOUL - South Korean financial markets will be closed from Monday to Wednesday for the Lunar New Year holidays. Markets will resume trade at normal hours on Thursday, February 19.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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TREASURIES

NEW YORK - U.S. Treasury yields rose on Wednesday before the Federal Reserve releases minutes from its latest meeting and ahead of the Treasury Department’s $16 billion auction of 20-year bonds.

The yield on benchmark U.S. 10-year notes US10YT=RR rose 2.9 basis points to 4.083%. It dropped to 4.018%, the lowest since November 28, on Tuesday.

For a full report, click on US/

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LONDON - Traders on Wednesday were trying to work out what European Central Bank President Christine Lagarde's potential early exit from her position might mean for monetary policy ahead.

Germany's two-year bond yield DE2YT=RR, which is sensitive to interest rate expectations, was up one basis point at 2.06%, while the 10-year yield DE10YT=RR was unchanged at 2.74%.

For a full report, click on GVD/EUR

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TOKYO - Japanese government bond (JGB) yields edged up on Wednesday, as prospects for Japan's fiscal condition and the central bank's rate-hike path remained divided among investors.

The 20-year JGB yield JP20YTN=JBTC fell 0.5 basis point (bp) to 2.965%.

For a full report, click on JP/

COMMODITIES

GOLD

Gold rose more than 2% on Wednesday, as investors assessed simmering geopolitical risks, even as minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's January meeting showed officials divided over whether interest rates may need to be hiked again or should remain on hold.

Spot gold XAU= was up 2.4% at $4,992.11 per ounce by 02:18 p.m. ET (1918 GMT).

For a full report, click on GOL/

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IRON ORE

The Dalian Commodity Exchange and the Shanghai Futures Exchange will be closed over the February 16-23 period for the Lunar New Year holiday in China, the bourses said. Trading will resume on February 24.

For a full report, click on IRONORE/

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BASE METALS

Copper rose higher on Wednesday, bouncing back from a more than one-week low in the previous session, as investors stepped in to buy the dip and as industrial metals prices tracked a rebound in tech stocks.

Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange was up 2.2% at $12,893 a metric ton as of 1700 GMT, after earlier climbing to $12,941.

For a full report, click on MET/L

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OIL

Oil prices rose by more than 4% on Wednesday as traders priced in potential supply disruptions amid concerns of conflict between the United States and Iran, and after talks between Ukraine and Russia in Geneva ended without a breakthrough.

Brent crude oil futures LCOc1 were up $2.80, or 4.15%, at $70.22 a barrel at 1:49 p.m. EST.

For a full report, click on O/R

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PALM OIL

The Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange will be closed on February 17 and 18 for a public holiday.

For a full report, click on POI/

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RUBBER

Japanese rubber futures rose on Wednesday, driven by a rebound in the Tokyo stock market while higher physical rubber prices in top producer Thailand ahead of a wintering season of low production also provided support.

The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for July delivery JRUc6, 0#2JRU: finished 2.8 yen, or 0.8%, higher at 348.5 yen ($2.27) per kg.

For a full report, click on RUB/T

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(Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)