· The Dow Jones Industrial Average .DJI rose 116.36 points, or 0.47 percent, to 24,727.27, the S&P 500 .SPX gained 4.02 points, or 0.15 percent, to 2,716.94 and the Nasdaq Composite .IXIC added 20.06 points, or 0.27percent, to 7,364.30.
U.S. stocks advanced modestly on Tuesday as higher oil prices lifted the energy sector, but another slump in Facebook Inc (FB.O) shares curbed gains.
· Asian markets gained early in the session on Wednesday, with markets focused on the Federal Reserve after it kicked off its March meeting.
· Seoul's benchmark Kospi index traded higher by 0.17 percent while the junior Kosdaq edged up by 0.4 percent.
Shippers were firmer in the morning, with South Korea's "Big Three" shipbuilders all notching gains. Hyundai Heavy Industries rose 2.39 percent, Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering advanced 2.06 percent and Samsung Heavy tacked on 0.6 percent.
· Over in Sydney, the S&P/ASX 200 edged up 0.23 percent. Energy stocks rose 1.2 percent after oil prices surged to their highest levels in three weeks overnight.
· Markets in Japan will be closed on Wednesday for the vernal equinox.
Reference: Reuters, CNBC
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