A Quick Glance at News

v Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on Tuesday offered a gloomy view of the economy's prospects, but provided few concrete clues on whether the U.S. central bank was moving closer to a fresh round of monetary stimulus.
v U.S. stocks reclaimed Tuesday gains after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke spoke and Wall Street’s gaze returned to solid results from Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Coca-Cola Co.
v Japan's Nikkei share average opened higher on Wednesday buoyed by a rise in U.S. stocks as several blue chips beat earnings expectations and U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke kept alive hopes for more easing.

v The euro edged higher, with measures of the U.S. dollar mixed, in East Asia trading hours Wednesday, though some analysts pointed to further downside for the European currency.
v Canadian stocks gained for a third day as rising oil prices drove energy shares higher and expectations grew that the U.S. Federal Reserve will take further action to boost growth.
v Asian shares were on the back foot on Wednesday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke offered a gloomy view of the U.S. economy, but hopes that the central bank is moving closer to more stimulus measures limited the day's losses.
v Gold stayed put above $1,580 an ounce on Wednesday, after dropping in the previous session when the U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke disappointed gold bugs by offering no signs of imminent monetary stimulus measures.
v Bund futures fell at the open on Wednesday with traders cautious before a German bond auction which could see investors paying Berlin a premium for the first time ever to park their cash in its two-year paper.
v U.S. 10-year Treasuries edged up in Asia on Wednesday, recouping some of the losses sustained the day before, after Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke said the central bank was ready to respond to a slowing economy, but did not provide details on future actions.