March 19 (Reuters) -

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

** indicates closing price

All prices as of 1630 GMT

EQUITIES

GLOBAL - Global stocks fell on Wednesday, erasing earlier gains as oil prices reversed course to head up, while a reading on U.S. inflation was higher than expected ahead of a Federal Reserve monetary policy announcement.

MSCI's gauge of stocks across the globe .MIWD00000PUS fell 2.85 points, or 0.28%, to 1,010.20 and was on track to snap a two-day run of gains, while the pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX index dropped 0.87%.

For a full report, click on MKTS/GLOB

- - - -

NEW YORK - Wall Street's main indexes slipped on Wednesday after data showed producer prices rose more than expected in February, prompting investors to price out hopes of a Federal Reserve interest rate cut this year.

At 12:00 p.m. ET, the Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI fell 445.20 points, or 0.95%, to 46,548.06, the S&P 500 .SPX lost 39.86 points, or 0.59%, to 6,676.23 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC lost 129.64 points, or 0.58%, to 22,349.89.

For a full report, click on .N

- - - -

LONDON - European shares halted their ascent on Wednesday after an attack on Iran's Pars gas field pushed oil prices higher and renewed fears of escalation in the Middle East, shattering the calm since the beginning of the week.

The pan-European STOXX 600 .STOXX declined 0.70% to 598.25 after gaining as much as 0.67% earlier in the session, ending a two-day winning streak.

For a full report, click on .EU

- - - -

TOKYO - Japan's Nikkei share average ended nearly 3% higher on Wednesday, led by chip and artificial intelligence-related stocks, as concerns over the economic impact of surging oil prices subsided.

The Nikkei .N225 rose 2.87% to 55,239.4, snapping a four-day losing streak, while the broader Topix .TOPX was up 2.49% at 3,717.41.

For a full report, click on .T

- - - -

SHANGHAI - China and Hong Kong stocks erased early losses to end marginally higher on Wednesday, as investor caution around the U.S. rate decision was overcome by gains in Alibaba after it said it will raise prices for artificial intelligence-related products.

Shanghai Composite Index .SSEC rose 0.32%, snapping a four-day losing streak. China's blue-chip CSI300 Index .CSI300 gained 0.45%.

For a full report, click on .SS

- - - -

AUSTRALIA - Australian shares rose marginally on Wednesday, with gains in miners managing to overcome investor caution after the central bank's warnings on inflation clouded the monetary policy outlook.

The S&P/ASX 200 index .AXJO rose 0.3% to log its highest close in a week at 8,640.6 points after struggling for direction early in the session.

For a full report, click on .AX

- - - -

SEOUL - South Korean shares rose 5% on Wednesday to close at their highest level in nearly three weeks, as the country's president vowed more reforms to unlock the value of the domestic market.

The benchmark KOSPI .KS11 closed up 284.55 points, or 5.04%, at 5,925.03, the highest since February 27.

For a full report, click on KRW/

- - - -

FOREIGN EXCHANGE

NEW YORK - The U.S. dollar strengthened against other major currencies on Wednesday, clawing back losses from the past two sessions after data showed a more-than-expected increase in U.S. producer prices.

The dollar index =USD, which measures the greenback against six major peers, was up 0.26% at 99.83, snapping two straight sessions of declines.

For a full report, click on USD/

- - - -

SHANGHAI - China's yuan extended gains on Wednesday after the central bank lifted its daily fixing to the strongest level in nearly three years amid a retreat in the U.S. dollar.

The spot yuan CNY=CFXS opened at 6.8830 per dollar, stronger than Tuesday's close of 6.8850. The Chinese currency changed hands at 6.8812 at 0352 GMT.

For a full report, click on CNY/

- - - -

AUSTRALIA - The Australian dollar was in demand on Wednesday, with the country among the very few developed nations to be raising interest rates and investors wagering on further tightening ahead as energy costs inflate globally.

Widening rate differentials saw the Aussie edge up to $0.7112 AUD=D3Z, having gained 0.5% overnight to as far as $0.7118. Resistance lies at the recent 45-month top of $0.7187, with support at $0.7050 and $0.6980.

For a full report, click on AUD/

- - - -

SEOUL - South Korean won strengthened against dollar on Wednesday.

The won was quoted at 1,485.3 per dollar on the onshore settlement platform KRW=KFTC, 0.21% higher than its previous close at 1,488.4.

For a full report, click on KRW/

- - - -

TREASURIES

NEW YORK - U.S. Treasuries fell on Wednesday after stronger-than-expected producer price data underscored persistent inflation pressures, boosting expectations that the Federal Reserve will delay interest-rate cuts.

U.S. yields, which move inversely to prices, rose across the curve, with the benchmark U.S. 10-year yields up 2.4 basis points (bps) at 4.222% US10YT=RR, rising after declining for two consecutive days.

For a full report, click on US/

- - - -

LONDON - Euro zone government bond yields jumped on Wednesday, reversing course from earlier in the day, as oil prices rose in response to reports of attacks on Iranian energy facilities.

German 10-year Bund yields DE10YT=RR were last up around 4 basis points to 2.9441% after having eased earlier in the day.

For a full report, click on GVD/EUR

- - - -

TOKYO - Japanese government bond (JGB) yields extended early declines on Wednesday, as easing oil prices supported bond buying, with focus shifting to the Bank of Japan's commentary later this week on the impact of the Middle East war.

The 10-year JGB yield JP10YTN=JBTC fell 5.5 basis points (bps) to 2.21%.

For a full report, click on JP/

COMMODITIES

GOLD

Spot gold fell to a more than one-month low on Wednesday, pressured by a stronger dollar and a jump in oil prices that stoked inflation fears and reinforced bets that the U.S. Federal Reserve will not cut interest rates soon.

Spot gold XAU= fell 2.6% to $4,874.19 per ounce by 11:14 a.m. ET (1514 GMT), after hitting its lowest level since February 6 earlier in the session.

For a full report, click on GOL/

- - - -

IRON ORE

Iron ore futures declined on Wednesday as rising freight rates impeded steel exports while Chinese steel mills held prices firm on high energy costs, limiting procurements.

The most-traded May iron ore contract on China's Dalian Commodity Exchange (DCE) DCIOcv1 traded 0.12% lower at 811 yuan ($117.97) a metric ton.

For a full report, click on IRONORE/

- - - -

BASE METALS

Aluminium prices ticked up on Wednesday as an alternative export route to the Strait of Hormuz, secured by Emirates Global Aluminium amid the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, offered temporary respite to supply jitters.

The benchmark three-month aluminium CMAL3 on the London Metal Exchange rose 0.1% to $3,402 a metric ton by 1702 GMT after hitting $3,336, the lowest since March 10.

For a full report, click on MET/L

- - - -

OIL

Oil prices were up 5% on Wednesday after Iran's Revolutionary Guards threatened to attack several energy facilities across the Middle East in retaliation, raising the risk of further disruptions to the region's energy supplies.

Brent futures LCOc1 rose $5.14, or 5% to $108.56 a barrel at 1:30 p.m. ET (1830 GMT) on Wednesday, having risen to as high as $109.95 earlier in the session. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude CLc1 gained $2.17, or 2.3%, to $98.38.

For a full report, click on O/R

- - - -

PALM OIL

Malaysian palm oil futures closed more than 1% lower on Wednesday, for a second straight session, as weaker rival edible oils and crude oil prices as well as concerns over April export demand weighed on sentiment.

The benchmark palm oil contract FCPOc3 for June delivery on the Bursa Malaysia Derivatives Exchange slid 49 ringgit, or 1.07%, to 4,532 ringgit ($1,158.19) a metric ton at the close.

For a full report, click on POI/

- - - -

RUBBER

Japanese rubber futures fell for a second consecutive session on Wednesday, with rubber prices across the Osaka, Shanghai and Singapore exchanges falling from monthly highs on the back of declining oil prices.

The Osaka Exchange (OSE) rubber contract for August delivery JRUc6, 0#2JRU: was down 4.2 yen, or 1.12%, at 370.5 yen ($2.33) per kg.

For a full report, click on RUB/T

- - - -

(Bengaluru Bureau; +91 80 6749 1130)