In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 ended the session up 0.28 percent, with the majority of sectors closing in positive territory. The U.K.’s FTSE 100 closed up 0.31 percent, while Germany’s DAX posted gains of 0.14 percent. France’s CAC 40, however, ended under pressure, down 0.34 percent. Shares of Colruyt rose over 3.5 percent higher after the company reported stronger-than-anticipated yearly figures. Britain’s Ocado, meantime, closed up 5.5 percent, after Peel Hunt hiked its price target on the retailer.

In Currency Markets the euro remained slightly lower against the dollar on Wednesday as European Bank President Mario Draghi said the factors holding back local wages are subsiding and the ECB is confident that inflation in the euro zone would move toward its 2-percent goal. Draghi and his U.S. counterpart Jerome Powell were speaking before a central banking conference in Sintra, Portugal. The euro was down 0.05 percent at $1.1582, holding above an over two-week low of $1.1528 reached on Tuesday.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose on Wednesday, supported by reports of a drop in U.S. commercial crude inventories and the loss of storage capacity in Libya, but under pressure ahead of a meeting of OPEC exporters which may increase global production. Brent crude was up 50 cents at $75.58 a barrel. U.S. light crude was $1.05 higher at $66.12. U.S. crude inventories fell by 3 million barrels to 430.6 million barrels in the week to June 15, according to an American Petroleum Institute report on Tuesday.

In US Equity Markets a jump in technology and media stocks lifted the S&P 500 on Wednesday and pushed the Nasdaq to a record high, but the Dow remained under pressure from an escalation in the U.S.-China trade spat that has slammed global markets. Twenty-First Century Fox gained 7.1 percent after Walt Disney sweetened its offer for some of the company’s assets to $71.3 billion, looking to topple Comcast’s bid. The S&P 500 was up 0.25 percent, at 2,769.53 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.75 percent, at 7,783.69.

In Bond Markets German bond yields pulled back from 2 1/2-week lows on Wednesday as world stock markets put aside trade war fears and rallied, taking the shine off safe-haven bond markets. Most 10-year bond yields were little changed on the day. Germany’s Bund yield was steady at 0.37 percent, but above a 2-1/2 week low of 0.35 percent hit on Tuesday. Italy’s 10-year bond yield briefly fell to a 2 1/2-week low at 2.536 percent, before rising again. Its spread over Germany was close to its lowest level this month at 218 bps.