In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed up 0.62 percent higher during afternoon deals, with most sectors and major bourses in positive territory. Europe’s autos stocks led the gains, up more than 2.4 percent after French daily Los Echos reported on Monday that the Peugeot family could favor Fiat Chrysler as a candidate for possible consolidation operations. Shares of Fiat Chrysler jumped more than 5 percent on the news. Faurecia, Porsche and Daimler were also firmly higher.

In Currency Markets the pound extended gains on Tuesday and briefly climbed above $1.33 line on expectations that European Union officials would give Britain a delay on Brexit negotiations. Sterling strengthened as much as 0.4 percent to a high of $1.3311 after a report from Bloomberg said EU leaders planned a contingent offer on extending Brexit in the days just before March 29 exit date. The report follows a Reuters article which had quoted EU diplomats on Monday as saying leaders could hold off making any final decision on any Brexit delay when they meet in Brussels later this week

In Commodities Markets oil prices were little changed after hitting 2019 highs on Tuesday, maintaining recent strength on the back of expectations for OPEC to continue production cuts. U.S. oil prices have climbed 9 percent in the last six weeks, as the supply cuts are now expected to continue through the rest of 2019. The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries canceled its April meeting this week after a shorter get-together in Azerbaijan. Brent crude oil futures were up 9 cents at $67.63 a barrel, having earlier risen to a 2019 peak of $68.20, their highest since November 2018.

In US Equity Markets indices climbed on Tuesday, as investors hoped for a more accommodative policy stance at the end of the Federal Reserve’s two-day meeting this week. The S&P 500 was up 0.33 percent, at 2,842.41 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.31 percent, at 7,738.13. Nvidia Corp rose 3.7 percent and boosted the Philadelphia SE chipmakers index by 1.19 percent after the chip designer partnered with Softbank Group Corp and LG Uplus Corp to deploy cloud gaming servers in Japan and Korea.

In Bond Markets top-rated euro zone bond yields rose on Tuesday as expectations grew of a delay to Britain’s planned exit from the European Union and after a report that the ECB may have to broaden any future asset purchase programme to include equities. Peripheral bond yields rose with Italian 10-year government bonds up more than six basis points to 2.488 percent, while Portugal’s 10-year yield was four basis points higher at 1.30 percent, its largest one day rise since Jan. 24.