In Asian Equity Markets Japan’s Nikkei share average rose significantly on Thursday as investors bought back recently-battered stocks after U.S. markets climbed overnight, shrugging off stronger-than-expected inflation data. The Nikkei advanced 1.6 percent to 21,497.83, after falling to a four-month low on Wednesday. All sectors but utility were in positive territory, with financial stocks and exporters outperforming, downplaying a strong yen trend. Banking stocks gained, with Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group rising 2.6 percent and Mizuho Financial Group gaining 1.8 percent. Insurers also rallied, with Dai-ichi Life Holdings jumping 4.1 percent and T&D Holdings rising 3.0 percent. Exporters gained ground, with Panasonic Corp rising 1.3 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar extended its losses against the yen and hit a fresh 15-month low on Thursday, with market participants bracing for further near-term weakness in the U.S. currency. The dollar fell below Wednesday’s nadir of 106.725 yen and fell as low as 106.42 yen, its weakest level since November 2016. That marked a decline of 3.7 percent from its early February peak near 110.50 yen. The U.S. currency later pared some of its losses and was last down 0.3 percent at 106.67 yen. On Wednesday, the dollar gained a lift after a stronger-than-expected rise in U.S. consumer prices in January,but the gains proved short-lived, and the greenback ended up retreating broadly against major peers despite the change in expectations for U.S. interest rates.

In Commodities Markets oil prices on Thursday extended gains from the previous session, pushed up by a weak dollar and by comments from Saudi Arabia that it would rather see an under-supplied market than end a deal with OPEC and Russia to withhold production.  U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were at $61.02 a barrel, up 0.7 percent from their last settlement, adding to a 2.4 percent gain in the previous session. Brent crude futures were at $64.64 per barrel, up 0.4 percent, extending Wednesday’s 2.6 percent rise. Gold prices rose as well, supported by a weaker dollar and as investors bought the yellow metal as a hedge against inflation after a faster-than-expected rise in U.S. consumer prices last month.

In US Equity Markets stocks gained on Wednesday as investors shrugged off stronger-than-expected inflation data and snapped up shares of Facebook, Amazon.com and Apple. Facebook jumped 3.7 percent while Amazon.com and Apple both rose more than 1.8 percent. All three fueled the S&P 500 more than any other shares, leaving the index up 1.34 percent for the session. The S&P 500 rose 1.34 percent to finish at 2,698.63. The Nasdaq Composite jumped 1.86 percent to 7,143.62. Fossil went up 87.7 percent after the watchmaker’s strong holiday-quarter sales and a rush among short-sellers to cover their positions. Chipotle Mexican Grill jumped 15.4 percent after it hired Brian Niccol from Taco Bell as its next chief executive.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields on most maturities rose on Wednesday, with those on benchmark 10-year notes hitting a four-year high, boosted by data showing consumer prices in the world’s largest economy gained more than expected last month, with underlying inflation posting its largest monthly increase in a year. The report appeared to cement expectations of a rate hike by the Federal Reserve in March despite U.S. retail sales posting their largest decline in 11 months. At close trading, U.S. benchmark 10-year Treasury note yields rose to 2.916 percent, from 2.84 percent late on Tuesday.  U.S. 2-year yields, the maturity most sensitive to rate-hike expectations, advanced to a two-week high of 2.176 percent, compared with 2.106 percent on Tuesday.