In Asian Equity Markets stocks rose and a gauge of global equities hovered near record highs on Wednesday after rising consumer confidence in economic recovery boosted the Nasdaq index to its highest-ever closing level. The Asian index was last up 0.33 percent on the day. Chinese blue-chips added 0.1 percent, Australian stocks were up 0.58 and set for a ninth straight month of gains, and Seoul’s Kospi rose 0.35 percent. Japan’s Nikkei edged up 0.06 percent. The broader Topix edged up 0.03 percent at 1,949.97.

In Currency Markets the dollar clung to recent gains on Wednesday as virus woes raised concerns in a market already on edge ahead of U.S. jobs data seen as crucial to the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy outlook. The dollar index rose 0.2 percent to hit a one-week high overnight and on Wednesday sat roughly in the middle of the range it has found in the wake of the surprisingly hawkish shift in tone from the Fed earlier this month. Morning trading in Asia did not move majors much from those levels, with the euro last at $1.1902 and the yen at 110.58 per dollar. The Aussie bought $0.7517.

In US Equity Markets the Nasdaq closed at a record high on Tuesday, lifted by Apple Inc and other technology stocks after an upbeat consumer confidence report. The Dow rose 0.03 percent, to 34,292.29. The S&P 500 gained 0.03 percent, to 4,291.8 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.19 percent, to 14,528.34. Three of the 11 major S&P sector indexes rose, with technology and consumer discretionary stocks the top gainers, up 0.7 percent and 0.23 percent, respectively. Morgan Stanley rose 3.4 percent after it doubled its dividend to 70 cents per share in the third quarter.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose as hopes for a demand recovery persisted despite new outbreaks of the Delta variant. Brent crude futures settled up 0.11 percent, and U.S. crude settled up 0.10 percent. Spot gold fell 0.93 percent to $1,761.66 per ounce, after touching $1,749.20, its lowest since April 15. U.S. gold futures settled down 1 percent at $1,763.60. In other metals, silver was down 1.3 percent at $25.75 per ounce, after touching its lowest since April 15 at $25.51. Platinum shed 1.8 percent to $1,070.30, and palladium lost 0.5 percent to $2,673.72.

In European Equity Markets stocks ended higher on Tuesday after data showed economic sentiment improved sharply in June, while Adidas lifted the German index with a share buyback plan. The pan-European STOXX 600 closed 0.3 percent higher at 456.37 points, after data showed euro zone economic sentiment hit a 21-year high in June as a steady vaccination programme saw several economies reopen. Chemical stocks rose 0.9 percent, while automobile and financial services were among the best performers. German stocks were the best performers, adding 0.9 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields hugged the unchanged mark on Tuesday as the market waited to see how June U.S. employment data, due later this week, might affect the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy stance. The benchmark 10-year yield, which rose as high as 1.51 percent earlier in the session, was last flat at 1.4782 percent. The two-year Treasury yield was last less than a basis point lower at 0.2524 percent. Germany’s 10-year bond yield was up 1 basis point at -0.173 percent, within sight of a recent one-month high of -0.146 percent.