Feb 26 (Reuters) -

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** indicates closing price

All prices as of 1820 GMT

EQUITIES

GLOBAL - Global shares were higher on Wednesday, helped by a rally in technology stocks and with markets awaiting Nvidia's earnings report.

MSCI's world share index was up 0.78% .MIWD00000PUS.

For a full report, click on MKTS/GLOB

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NEW YORK - The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq hit two-week highs on Wednesday, boosted by heavyweight technology stocks, ahead of Nvidia's quarterly results that could reinforce or challenge a recent rebound in the sector.

At 11:44 a.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 212.40 points, or 0.43%, to 49,385.92, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 46.01 points, or 0.67%, to 6,936.08 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC gained 244.31 points, or 1.07%, to 23,107.99.

For a full report, click on .N

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LONDON - European shares closed at a record high on Wednesday, underpinned by a rebound in financials after HSBC raised a key lending target, while concerns that newer AI models might imminently disrupt traditional businesses appeared to ease.

The pan-European STOXX 600 index .STOXX ended 0.7% higher at 633.47, eclipsing Friday's record close of 630.56.

For a full report, click on .EU

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TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average climbed to another record on Wednesday, driven by a surge in tech-related stocks and waning expectations of an imminent policy rate hike after new central bank board member nominations.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index .N225 rose 2.2% to close at 58,583.12 after rising as much as 2.7%.

For a full report, click on .T

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SHANGHAI - China and Hong Kong stocks closed higher on Wednesday, as investors snapped up rare earth and metal shares amid simmering geopolitical tensions.

China's blue-chip CSI300 Index .CSI300 ended 0.6% higher while the Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC gained 0.7%.

For a full report, click on .SS

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AUSTRALIA - Australian shares hit a record high on Wednesday as strong blue-chip earnings spurred optimism, with the market largely shrugging off a hotter-than-expected inflation print that upped bets of a rate hike at the central bank's next meeting.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO closed 1.2% higher at 9,128.30 points, having touched a record high of 9,130.30 points earlier in the session.

For a full report, click on .AX

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SEOUL - South Korean shares jumped past the 6,000 level for the first time on Wednesday, as chipmakers Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix, as well as Hyundai Motor, surged to record highs on artificial intelligence hopes.

The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 114.22 points, or 1.91%, at 6,083.86, after rising as much as 2.93% during the session.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEW YORK - The yen weakened to a two-week low against the dollar on Wednesday, dragged down by renewed doubts over the Bank of Japan’s policy path and mounting tensions with China, with investors keeping an eye on wider risk appetite.

The U.S. dollar index =USD was down 0.05% at 97.92.

For a full report, click on USD/

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SHANGHAI - China's yuan firmed to a fresh 34-month high on Wednesday, underpinned by corporate demand for the currency and firm export expectations.

The spot yuan CNY=CFXS opened at 6.8796 per dollar and was trading at 6.8721 as of 0310 GMT, 91 pips firmer than the previous late session close.

For a full report, click on CNY/

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AUSTRALIA - The Australian dollar gained ground on Wednesday after a surprisingly high reading of core inflation led markets to narrow the odds on another rate hike, further widening yield spreads in its favour.

The Aussie added 0.2% to $0.7075 AUD=D3, having found support around $0.7020 overnight.

For a full report, click on AUD/

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SEOUL - The won was quoted 0.81% higher at nearly a one-month high of 1,429.4 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC.

For a full report, click on KRW/

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TREASURIES

NEW YORK - U.S. Treasuries slid for a second straight session on Wednesday, as risk appetite improved with the bounce in stocks and investors braced for a heavy slate of government and corporate issuance that prompted pre‑supply selling.

In late morning trading, the benchmark 10-year yield was up 1.5 basis points (bps) at 4.048% US10YT=RR, while 30-year yields were flat on the day at 4.693% US30YT=RR.

For a full report, click on US/

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LONDON - Germany's 10-year government bond yield was slightly higher on Wednesday, but hovered near its lowest level since November as safe-haven bonds remain supported by U.S. tariff uncertainty, geopolitical worries and shaky stocks.

Germany's 10-year Bund yield DE10YT=RR, the benchmark for the euro zone, was flat at 2.709%.

For a full report, click on GVD/EUR

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TOKYO - Longer-dated Japanese government bond yields (JGBs) rose at the fastest pace in a month on Wednesday, after the nomination of two academics seen as dovish to the central bank's board stoked concerns about the nation's fiscal health.

The yield on the 40-year bond JP40YTN=JBTC, Japan's longest tenor, rose 10 basis points (bps) to 3.615%, the steepest advance since January 20, following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's calling of a snap election and embrace of sales tax cuts for food.

For a full report, click on JP/

COMMODITIES

GOLD

Gold gained on Wednesday as investors moved into safe havens on concerns that tariffs could stoke inflation, while ongoing tensions between Iran the United States also kept bids for safety intact.

Spot gold XAU= rose 1.1% to $5,205.14 per ounce, by 11:24 a.m. ET (1624 GMT).

For a full report, click on GOL/

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IRON ORE

Iron ore futures rallied on Wednesday on anticipation of pick up in feedstock demand as liquidity returns to the Chinese market post Lunar New Year holidays, though an increase in incoming iron ore shipments may curb price upsides.

The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) DCIOcv1 ended daytime trade 1.42% higher at 752.5 yuan ($109.56) a metric ton.

For a full report, click on IRONORE/

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BASE METALS

Copper prices rose to two-week highs on Wednesday as growth and demand optimism dominated the mood after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against President Donald Trump's sweeping reciprocal tariffs.

Benchmark copper CMCU3 on the London Metal Exchange was up 1.1% at $13,318 a metric ton at 1706 GMT after rising to $13,335 earlier in the session, the highest since February 11.

For a full report, click on MET/L

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OIL

Oil prices slipped into negative territory on Wednesday as a much larger-than-expected U.S. crude stock build outweighed the threat to oil supply from potential military conflict between the U.S. and Iran.

Brent futures LCOc1 were down 12 cents at $70.65 a barrel at 11:16 a.m. ET (1607 GMT), while WTI futures CLc1 were down 26 cents at $65.37.

For a full report, click on O/R

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PALM OIL

Malaysian palm oil futures inched lower on Wednesday, marking four straight sessions of falls, tracking weaknesses in Chicago soyoil and Dalian's palm olein.

The benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for May delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange fell 1 ringgit, or 0.02%, to 4,052 ringgit ($1,042.45) a metric ton at the close.

For a full report, click on POI/

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RUBBER

Japanese rubber futures rallied for the sixth session on Wednesday, touching their highest in a year on the back of tightening supply as top producers face weather disruptions during the wintering season.

The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for August delivery JRUc6, 0#2JRU: was up 5.4 yen, or 1.46%, at 374.2 yen ($2.40) per kg, its highest since February 21, 2025.

For a full report, click on RUB/T

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(Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)