In Asian Equity Markets mainland Chinese markets advanced in early trade. The Shanghai composite gained around 0.2 percent. The Shenzhen composite added 0.317 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index also rose 1.06 percent. Chinese investment bank China International Capital Corp jumped around 5.9 percent after an exchange disclosure showed on Monday that tech behemoth Alibaba had increased its stake in the company to almost 12 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 rose 0.84 percent in morning trade.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar was capped against its peers on Wednesday on falling U.S. yields and before the Federal Reserve’s policy meeting minutes, though it managed to gain on the yen as stronger investor risk appetite curbed demand for the Japanese currency. The U.S. currency was up 0.2 percent at 110.83 yen. The euro nudged up 0.1 percent to $1.1353 and stood near two-week peak of $1.1358 brushed on Tuesday. The pound stretched its overnight rally and rose to a two-week high of $1.3077.

In Commodities Markets oil prices were around 2019 highs on Wednesday, propped up by supply cuts led by producer club OPEC and by U.S. sanctions on Iran and Venezuela. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude oil futures hit 2019 highs of $56.39 per barrel on Wednesday, up 30 cents, or 0.5 percent, from their last settlement. International Brent crude futures were at $66.58 per barrel, up 13 cents, or 0.2 percent, from their last close and not far off their 2019 high of $66.83 per barrel from Monday.

In US Equity Markets stocks gained ground on Tuesday as upbeat results from Walmart boosted investor sentiment and high-level U.S.-China trade talks resumed in Washington. The S&P 500 gained 0.15 percent, to 2,779.76 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.19 percent, to 7,486.77. Of the 11 major sectors in the S&P 500, all but healthcare and industrials closed in positive territory. Shares of Freeport McMoRan jumped 6.6 percent after Citigroup raised the stock to “buy” from “neutral.” Amazon ended the session up 1.2 percent, bouncing back from a two-day sell-off.

In Bond Markets Treasury yields were lower in Tuesday afternoon trade ahead of the release on Wednesday of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s January policy-setting meeting and as trade talks between the United States and China neared their March 1 deadline. Yields fell across the board, with maturities in the middle of the yield curve making the biggest moves. The three-year yield was last down 2.2 basis points and the five-year yield was last down 2 basis points. The benchmark 10-year government yield was last down 1.4 basis points at 2.652 percent.