In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed up over 1.1% , autos leading gains with a 1.7% jump as all sectors and major bourses traded firmly in positive territory. Shares of Renault and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles both gained after an Italian press report suggested contact between executives at both firms has never ceased and a merger remains on the cards. Renault stock climbed 3.7% while Fiat Chrysler was up 3.3%. Pandora continued to rose Wednesday following a strong session on Tuesday as second-quarter results showed promising recovery signs.

In Currency Markets the pound on Wednesday gave back some of the previous day’s gains as investors took little heart from hints by German Chancellor Angela Merkel that there might be room for negotiation over Brexit as prospects of a no deal loom. The pound was down 0.4% at $1.2118, retreating from the 12-day high of $1.2180 reached on Tuesday. It remains up 0.8% from mid-August lows. Against the euro, sterling was also down 0.4%, at 91.56 pence, but similarly up 1.8% since mid-August.

In Commodities Markets crude oil futures rose on Wednesday after U.S. government data showed a big drawdown in domestic crude stockpiles, but rises in refined product inventories limited price gains, as did lingering worries about the global economy. Brent crude futures for October delivery rose 69 cents, or 1.2%, to $60.72 a barrel. It reached a session high of $61.41 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 29 cents, or 0.5%, to $56.42 a barrel, after hitting $57.13 a barrel.

In US Equity Markets stocks advanced on Wednesday following upbeat earnings from retailers Lowe’s and Target that reinforced confidence in consumer demand, while investors awaited the release of the Fed minutes. Big-box retailer Target Corp jumped 18.2%, the most on the S&P 500 index, after it beat quarterly profit estimates and raised its annual earnings forecast. The S&P 500 index was up 0.85% and Nasdaq 100 rose 0.99%. oll Brothers Inc fell 3.4% after the luxury homebuilder posted a decline in orders, hinting at weaker demand for new homes.

In Bond Markets Germany sold 30-year bonds with a negative yield for the first time at an auction on Wednesday, a milestone for a fixed-income market where the entire curve now yields less than zero. The euro zone’s benchmark bond issuer sold 824 million euros of the new long-dated bonds against a target of 2 billion euros, with an average yield of -0.11%. The coupon on the bond was set at 0% earlier this week. Germany’s bond yields rose on Wednesday before the auction and briefly extended those increases after the auction results.