FROM MORRISON SECURITIES PTY LTD.:

U.S. STOCK MARKETS

U.S. stocks rose in response to encouraging news about domestic retail sales and small-business optimism, putting key benchmarks above milestones they have been flirting with for weeks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 152 points, or 1.2%, to 13112 in afternoon trading. Blue chips were set to notch their fifth-straight advance. The Dow Tuesday traded at its highest level since May 2008.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index advanced 17 points, or 1.2%, to 1388, reaching its highest level since June 2008. The Nasdaq Composite added 39 points, or 1.3%, to 3022, putting it on course to close above 3000 for the first time in more than a decade, after briefly flirting with that level late last month.

Solid readings on the domestic economy underpinned the stock gains, which eased back from session highs in the wake of a statement from the Federal Reserve's policy-setting panel before starting to rise again.

Sales at U.S. retailers grew at the fastest pace in five months in February, as spending increased at auto dealerships, gas stations and clothing stores, and a reading on small-business optimism rose for the sixth-straight month to the highest level since December 2007.

Additionally, business inventories rose slightly more than expected in January. Stocks extended gains after the Federal Open Market Committee took no new action and offered few hints about the potential for additional monetary stimulus efforts.

The central bank officials acknowledged improvements in the U.S. labor market, but cautioned that economic risks remain and inflation could rise temporarily because of the recent increase in oil and gas prices. Financial and technology stocks led Tuesday's advance. Among blue chips, Alcoa rose 3.3% and Caterpillar added 2.8% to lead the benchmark on a percentage basis.

EUROPEAN STOCK MARKETS

European stock markets rallied Tuesday, inspired by gains on Wall Street and a surprise jump in German investor sentiment, while market participants also awaited the latest monetary-policy announcement from the U.S. Federal Reserve.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index closed 1.8% higher at 269.56, the highest level since last July. Banks led the charge and extended gains after the closely watched Center for European Economic Research, or ZEW, gauge of German investor sentiment jumped to its highest level since June 2010.

The indicator surged to 22.3 in March from 5.4 in February, exceeding analyst expectations of a 10.0 reading. The positive market sentiment was further inspired by gains on Wall Street after U.S. retail sales climbed the fastest in five months in February.

In addition, euro-zone finance ministers late Monday backed a second bailout deal for Greece after the country succeeded in restructuring its debt. The deal is expected to be formalized at a meeting of deputy finance ministers on Wednesday.

The German DAX 30 index rose 1.4% to 6,995.91, buoyed by the index's banks. Deutsche Bank AG gained 3.5% and Commerzbank AG advanced 5.1%. Munich Re AG closed up 2.6%, after saying it's off to a good start for 2012 and is aiming for profit around EUR2.5 billion.

The company posted a profit of EUR712 million in 2011. Deutsche Post AG gained 2.3% after it said it expects good earnings momentum to continue next year. France's CAC 40 index rose 1.7% to 3,550.16, with all its stocks closing higher.

Veolia Environnement SA gained 3.7% after the water utilities firm secured a contract valued at EUR387 million in India. IT services company Capgemini added 3% as it signed a $127 million contract with the U.S. state of Texas for infrastructure-management services.

Shares of Credit Agricole SA added 5%, BNP Paribas SA rose 2.3% and Societe Generale SA advanced 2.4%.

The U.K.'s FTSE 100 index gained 1.1% to 5,955.91, as HSBC Holdings PLC rose 2.9%, Royal Bank of Scotland Group PLC added 1.5% and Lloyds Banking Group PLC advanced 2.8%.

However, markets may not be able to push a lot higher, said David Thebault, head of quantitative trading at Global Equities.

ASIA-PACIFIC STOCK MARKETS

Asian stock markets rallied Tuesday as banks and commodity-linked stocks climbed on positive cues from U.S. equities, although Japanese shares gave back the bulk of their early gains after the nation's central bank didn't loosen its monetary policy further.

South Korea's Kospi advanced 1.1%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index climbed 1.0%, Taiwan's Taiex added 1.3% and China's Shanghai Composite Index edged up 0.9%.

The Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.1% in Tokyo, well off the day's peak above 10,000 points. Gains narrowed after the Bank of Japan left its policy rate unchanged and didn't announce a further expansion to its asset purchase program, although the central bank expanded a low-cost loan program to help stimulate the economy.

Several exporters pared gains or ended lower, with Canon Inc. dropping 0.7% and Sony Corp. losing 0.8%. Among those shares that retained their gains, heavyweight Fast Retailing climbed 1.1%, while Fanuc Corp. added 0.8%.

Shares in Asahi Kasei Corp. tumbled 5.4% on plans to buy U.S. medical equipment maker Zoll Medical Corp. for $2.2 billion.

Financials were among the region's gainers. HSBC Holdings PLC climbed 1.4% in Hong Kong, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc. rose 0.7% in Tokyo, and Hana Financial Group jumped 3.4% in Seoul.

Steelmakers were notable advancers across Asia. Tokyo-listed JFE Holdings gained 0.8%, and Posco added 0.4% in Seoul.

COMMODITIES

Base metals closed higher on the London Metal Exchange Tuesday as investors optimistically awaited a rate decision and statement from the U.S. Federal Reserve. At the close, LME three-month copper was 1.4% higher at $8,558 a metric ton.

Aluminum was up 1.3% at $2,258/ton. Market activity on the LME recovered well following a temporary halt to electronic trading on the exchange's LME Select trading platform Tuesday. The halt was caused by a network fault in early European trade.

U.S. crude oil futures settled modestly higher Tuesday, after the Federal Reserve's policy board signaled no change in its policy of keeping interest rates low.

Light, sweet crude oil for April delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange settled 37 cents higher at $106.71 a barrel, the highest since March 5.

ICE North Sea Brent crude for April settled at an 11-month high of $126.22 a barrel, up 88 cents. The spread between the two benchmark contracts at the settlement was $19.51 a barrel, the widest since Oct. 24, 2011.

Brent had traded earlier to a record high in euro and sterling terms earlier in the day. Brent's gains have been outpacing those of the U.S. benchmark as buyers look for alternatives to Iranian crude amid tightening sanctions.

Gold futures extended their losses to a second session, keeping below $1,700 an ounce as U.S. retail sales data were upbeat and Federal Reserve policy makers kept their directives intact. Gold for April delivery shed $5.60, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,694.20 an ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange.