All key Asian stocks ended higher today. Japan’s Nikkei-225 gained 2.36 per cent, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index jumped 2.16 per cent, South Korea’s Kospi added 1.97 per cent, China’s Shanghai Composite index rose 0.75 per cent and Singapore’s Straits Times index jumped 0.62 percent.  

All major European markets were trading higher. London’s FTSE was half a percent up, France’s CAC added 0.37 per cent and Germany’s DAX was 0.30 per cent up when reports last came in.

Gold prices declined today in the futures market. The precious metal was down by 209 rupees, or 0.29 per cent, trading at 70,820 rupees per ten grams. Silver futures for May contracts were lower by 214 rupees, or 0.27 per cent, trading at 80,464 rupees per kilogram when the reports last came in.

 
In the global markets, gold was trading 0.57 per cent lower at 2,328 dollars and 70 cents per ounce on Comex. Silver was trading 0.70 per cent down at 27 dollars and 45 cents per ounce in the intra-day session.

Oil prices steadied near 88 dollars a barrel today after rallying in the previous session on a surprise fall in US crude stocks and a drop in business activity in the world’s largest oil consumer.
The ‘Brent Crude oil futures’ was lower at 87 dollar and 88 cents, whereas Western Texas Intermediate was down at 82 dollars and 74 cents when reports last came in. 

 In the forex market, the rupee closed at 83 rupees and 32 paise against the US dollar today. The dollar index, which indicates the US dollar’s strength against a basket of six other leading currencies was up at 105.83 in intra-day trade.