After Fed Minutes, Dollar Slumps to 1 1/2-Year Low Versus Yen

The dollar touched the weakest level since October 2014 against the yen after the release of minutes from the Federal Reserve’s March meeting, when policy makers scaled back expectations for the pace of interest-rate increases in 2016. The minutes shed more light on officials’ decision to keep rates unchanged last month, after hiking from near zero in December. The account showed policy makers debated an April rate hike, though several...

Oil Ends Sharply Higher After Unexpected U.S. Inventory Drop

The U.S. oil benchmark scored its biggest one-day jump in three weeks Wednesday after weekly government data showed a large and unexpected fall in U.S. crude inventories and an increase in demand by refineries. On the New York Mercantile Exchange, light, sweet crude futures for delivery in May advanced $1.86, or 5.2%, to close at $37.75 a barrel. The jump was the biggest since March 16. June Brent crude on London’s ICE Futures exchange...

Hong Kong Share Index Little Changed as Financials Curb Gains (Riview)

Hong Kong stocks were little changed on Wednesday, with financial shares curbing gains on the main index as investors await fresh cues for direction. The Hang Seng index rose 0.2 percent, to 20,206.67, while the China Enterprises Index lost 0.1 percent, to 8,668.63 points. Most sectors rose but financial shares underperformed, losing 0.5 percent, as Chinese banks are under margin pressures from a slowing economy and rising bad debt. Chi...

U.S. Stocks Rally as Health-Care, Energy Shares Lead a Rebound

U.S. stocks advanced, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index posting its best gain in more than three weeks, as health-care shares rallied on deal speculation and energy producers rallied with crude oil. The main benchmark index halted a two-day slide as Pfizer Inc.’s busted deal with Allergan Plc sparked speculation the two companies will now turn their attention to other potential merger targets, sending biotechnology companies...

U.S. Stocks Advance Before Fed Minutes Following Two-Day Slide

U.S. stocks advanced, after the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index rebounding from the steepest decline in almost a month, boosted by rallies in health-care and energy shares while investors awaited minutes from the Federal Reserve’s latest meeting. The benchmark index was on the way to halting a two-day slide that followed a 2016 high, amid a lull in economic data and before corporate earnings season gears up to provide evidence on the...