Oil settles higher after volatile session

Oil futures finished higher after a volatile session on Wednesday, finding support from a weekly decline in U.S. crude production, as strong demand for gasoline pointed to a possible rise in demand for oil to make the fuel. A bigger-than-expected weekly increase in U.S. crude supplies, however, helped limit the gains for oil prices, however. April West Texas Intermediate crude CLJ6, +1.16% added 28 cents, or 0.9%, to settle at $32.15...

Gold Marks Highest Settlement in More Than a Week

Gold futures marked their highest settlement in more than a week on Wednesday as a U.S. report on home sales fueled nervousness in financial markets, driving investors out of assets viewed as risky, like stocks, and into those perceived as safe. April gold climbed $16.50, or 1.4%, to settle at $1,239.10 an ounce. The settlement was the highest since Feb. 12. Prices, which rose 1% Tuesday, touched an intraday high of $1,254.30. Gold ...

Hong Kong Shares Track Global Markets Lower as Energy Stocks Weigh

Hong Kong shares fell more than 1 percent on Wednesday, tracking global markets lower, with shares of energy companies again weighing on the benchmark index as oil prices skid. The Hang Seng index fell 1.2 percent to 19,192.45 points, while the China Enterprises Index lost 1.3 percent to 8,061.71. Most sectors declined, as a nearly two-week-long rebound in global markets showed increasing signs of fatigue. Energy shares tumbled...

U.S. Stocks Rise as Energy, Tech Shares Pace Late-Day Turnaround

Technology and commodity companies paced a rebound in U.S. stocks, with a turnaround in crude-oil prices sparking broader buying that erased declines of as much as 1.7 percent in benchmark indexes. The Nasdaq Composite Index rallied 0.9 percent to 4,542.61 at 4 p.m. in New York, boosted by gains in Apple Inc. and Facebook Inc. The Russell 2000 Index surged 1 percent after an early 1.5 percent slide. The Standard & Poor’s...

Europe Stocks Drop Second Day as Miners Tumble Most Since August

European stocks declined for a second day as sliding oil prices stoked investor concern about global growth. Miners led the losses, taking their two-day decline to 9.5 percent, the most since August. BP Plc and Royal Dutch Shell Plc fell more than 2.8 percent as oil spent more of the day down after Iran dismissed a proposal by Saudi Arabia and Russia for producers to freeze output. European automakers and banks, the weakest groups this...