FROM MORRISON SECURITIES PTY LTD.:

U.S. STOCK MARKETS

U.S. stocks pared their losses to trade a touch lower as investors took a cautious stance on the European economic outlook after the Dow's rise to the cusp of new highs.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 10 points, or 0.1%, to 12955 in midday trading. The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index shed three points, or 0.2%, to 1360 and the Nasdaq Composite eased 10 points, or 0.3%, to 2939.

Wal-Mart Stores, which dragged the blue-chip Dow lower Tuesday, was again the Dow's worst performer, losing 2.1%. The retailer has lost 5.9% so far this week. Hewlett-Packard was also weak, dropping 1.1% ahead of its fourth-quarter earnings report, due after the closing bell.

H-P was dragged lower after rival computer maker Dell disappointed Wall Street's earnings expectations, and  provided a first-quarter sales outlook that was below current projections. Dell skidded 6.1%.

The Dow is pulling back after peeking briefly above 13000 in intraday action Tuesday. The Dow finished that session with a modest gain of 16 points; it hasn't closed above 13000 since May 2008.

Also hurting sentiment was an unexpected contraction in the Euro zone's business activity in February. Markit Economics' purchasing managers' index fell to 49.7 from January's 50.4, below expectations of a rise to 50.8. Readings below 50 imply contraction.

In U.S. economic news, January sales of existing homes topped expectations with a 4.3% monthly gain, but December's number was revised sharply lower, damping some of the positive sentiment. In corporate news, Johnson & Johnson edged up 0.1% after picking company veteran Alex Gorsky as its next chief executive, succeeding William Weldon, who has been the health-products giant's leader since 2002. Garmin rallied 8.4% after the satellite-navigation company reported fourth-quarter earnings and revenue that were well above expectations, and provided an upbeat 2012 outlook.

EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS
 
European stock markets finished lower Wednesday, as investors remained uninspired by Greece's latest bailout deal and expressed disappointment about data showing that business activity in the region unexpectedly slowed.

Indeed, action taken by Fitch Ratings, putting Greece in selective default, has been shrugged off by the market, with analysts saying it was already widely expected.

Fitch cut Greece's credit rating to single-C from triple-C and reiterated that a bond-swap agreement with private creditors would be a restricted default.

A reading on business activity in the euro zone, which unexpectedly contracted in February, added pressure on sentiment. Markit Economics' purchasing managers index fell to 49.7 from January's 50.4, below expectations of a rise to 50.8.

Readings below 50 imply contraction. Meanwhile, preliminary readings showed that business activity in France and Germany continued to expand in February, albeit at a slower pace than in January.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index ended down 0.8% at 264.59. The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index ended 0.2% lower at 5916.55, Germany's DAX fell 0.9% to 6843.87 and France's CAC-40 index finished down 0.5% at 3447.37.

On the upside, Peugeot jumped 12% after the French car maker late Tuesday said that it was in talks on a possible tie-up. Also in Paris, Schneider Electric added 6%. The company reported a 5.8% profit rise for 2011, while sales rose 14%. Credit Agricole SA was down 3.8% and Societe Generale SA fell 4.4%. In Germany, Deutsche Bank AG fell 2.4% and Commerzbank AG lost 3.3%. Deutsche Lufthansa AG was off 2.6% as a strike in the airline's main European hub, Frankfurt, continued.

In London, Tesco PLC fell 2.3% after Bank of America Merrill Lynch downgraded the stock to underperform from neutral. Retailer Marks & Spencer Group PLC lost 1.6%.

ASIA-PACIFIC MARKETS

Most Asian markets ended higher Wednesday, with Japanese stocks catching a tailwind from the yen's weakness, while mainland Chinese shares gained on hopes for a relaxation in policy toward the property sector.

The Nikkei Stock Average ended 1.0% higher as the U.S. dollar extended its recent gains against the yen to lift Japanese exporters.

China's Shanghai Composite Index rose 0.9%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.3% and Taiwan's Taiex added 1% to 8,001.68. South Korea's Kospi inched up 0.2%.

Stocks in Asia had slipped in early trading on doubts over the durability of the latest Greek rescue plan, but recovered as the day progressed. An increase in oil prices to a nine-month high lured buyers to the energy sector, with Inpex Corp. rising 1.4% in Tokyo, while PetroChina gained 1.4% in Hong Kong and 0.1% in Shanghai.

Japanese car makers and other exporters gained. Toyota Motor climbed 1.8% and Nissan Motor added 2.3%, while Nintendo advanced 3%.

Chinese property firms jumped on mainland bourses as well as in Hong Kong, in the wake of a report in the Shanghai Securities Journal that the city will soon ease certain restrictions on home purchases. China Overseas Land & Investment jumped 2.8% and China Resources Land climbed 2.9% in Hong Kong. In Shanghai, Gemdale Corp. climbed 3.9% and Poly Real Estate Group rose 2.7%, while China Vanke gained 3.4% in Shenzhen. Shares of Alibaba.com shot up 42.7% in Hong Kong as trading resumed for the first time since Feb. 9, after its parent group confirmed plans to take the company private.

COMMODITIES
 
Base metals closed mixed on the London Metal Exchange Wednesday as investors weighed up soft euro-zone data and a downgrade of Greece's credit rating against a rise in U.S. home sales and hope that an easing of Chinese monetary policy will support metal demand.

LME three-month copper ended the PM kerb at $8,434 a metric ton, down $15, or 0.2%, from Tuesday's close. Three-month nickel slipped 0.7% to $20,075/ton, but three-month aluminum was up 1.2% at $2,280/ton. U.S. and European benchmark oil prices rose to fresh nine-month highs Wednesday amid rising tensions over what the West says is Iran's efforts to build a nuclear weapon.

The chief United Nations nuclear inspector probing Iran's alleged atomic weapons drive said Wednesday negotiations have reached an impasse following a high-stakes, two-day visit to the Islamic republic. Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear work will go on, supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday, after U.N. inspectors left Tehran following talks that failed to lift their suspicions of atomic weapons research.

Light, sweet crude oil for April delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled just 3 cents higher, but that was enough to extend a rally into a fifth straight day and log a fresh nine-month high of $106.28 a barrel.

Prices have gained $5.54 a barrel in the past five trading days. ICE North Sea Brent crude for April was up $1.27 at a nine-month high of $122.93 a barrel late in the session.

Platinum futures settled at their highest level since September after the second-largest producer of the metal flagged lower deliveries, while gold set a high for the year in a late-afternoon rally. The most-actively traded platinum contract, for April delivery, settled $35.90, or 2.1%, higher at $1,720.80 a troy ounce on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold touched $1,774.20 a troy ounce, a high for the year. The most-active contract, for April delivery, settled at $1,771.30 a troy ounce, up $12.80, or 0.7%, on the day. This was the highest settlement price since Nov. 16.