U.S. MARKETS, BONDS

Investors struggled through a third straight day of volatility Wednesday, as weak economic data from Europe and disappointing domestic earnings reports prompted a pullback in U.S. stocks, the euro and oil prices.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average finished with a decline of 138.19 points, or 0.94%, to 14618.59, for a third straight day of triple-digit moves for the blue-chip index.

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index gave up 22.56 points, or 1.43%, to 1552.01, while the Nasdaq Composite Index slid 59.96 points, or 1.84%, to 3204.67.

Leading the stock declines were technology, energy and financial shares, on a day that saw all 10 sectors of the S&P 500 fall and about 94% of the S&P 500 stocks trading in negative territory.

Among blue chips, Bank of America fell 4.7%, the most among Dow components, after the bank reported first-quarter earnings that missed analyst expectations, with losses widening in its consumer real-estate division.

Fellow financial companies also slid, including J.P. Morgan Chase, which gave up 3.5%. Meanwhile, tech companies Hewlett-Packard and Cisco Systems declined 2.6% and 2.5% respectively, while Apple was one of the weakest stocks in the S&P 500.

The technology company, which declined 5.5%, traded as low as $398.11, its first day falling below $400 since late 2011. In contrast to recent days, however, the Dow didn't see any irregular moves in late trading, finishing well off its intraday lows.

Limiting the declines were the strongest sectors of the year: health-care, utilities and consumer-staples stocks, known as defensive sectors, which are less tied to economic swings. Intel reversed intraday losses to edge up 0.1%, after the semiconductor maker's first-quarter earnings fell just short of analyst forecasts and the company provided a revenue outlook that was in line with projections.

In corporate news, Mattel advanced 1.9% after quarterly profits and revenue topped analyst expectations amid strong sales for American Girl and Monster High dolls. Yahoo slipped 0.4% after quarterly revenue at the Web portal fell short of forecasts amid a sharp year-over-year decline in display-ad sales.

EUROPEAN STOCKS, BONDS

Europe's top stock index slumped Wednesday to its lowest close of 2013, after Bundesbank President Jens Weidmann warned the euro zone's economic recovery could take a decade, adding to investors' worries about global growth.

The Stoxx Europe 600 index fell 1.5% to settle at 283.73. The decline marked the fourth-straight day of losses, as worries over a slowdown in global growth resurfaced after disappointing data from China and the U.S. earlier in the week.

In an interview with The Wall Street Journal, Mr. Weidmann warned the region could take as long as a decade to recover from its debt crisis. He also signaled the European Central Bank could cut interest rates if needed, sending the euro lower.

France's CAC 40 index gave up 2.35% to 3599.23, while in the U.K., the FTSE 100 index dropped 1% to 6244.21. The DAX 30 index lost 2.3% to 7503.03, the lowest closing level since early December, as vague talk the country could face a downgrade to its credit rating added to fears in an already sensitive market.

in the U.K., supermarket operator Tesco reported its first drop in earnings in 19 years, as write-downs wiped out much of the profit.

Shares were down 3.9%. BHP Billiton dropped 3.4% after the company reported iron-ore production that was 5% lower in its third quarter than in the second.

Burberry Group gained 1.8%. The luxury retailer reported a rise in second-half comparable sales, helped by strong sales in outerwear and men's clothing.

In France, shares of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co. jumped 4.9%, as the company said it bought back 1.56% of its own shares held by the French state. German car maker Daimler said it sold its entire 7.5% stake in EADS. Daimler shares dropped 1.9%.

ASIA-PACIFIC STOCKS, BONDS

Most Asian stocks rose Wednesday as a higher finish overnight for U.S. equities and gold prices encouraged buyers, with Japanese shares rebounding after a three-day losing streak as the yen weakened.

Stocks in Hong Kong and Shanghai dropped amid worries about the strength of the economic recovery in China. Japan's Nikkei Stock Average jumped 1.2%, as the U.S. dollar climbed against the yen, and after Credit Suisse Tuesday raised its rating on Japanese equities to overweight.

Gains in Tokyo also took support from the International Monetary Fund's upgrade of the country's economic growth outlook for 2013 to 1.6%, applauding Japan's aggressive new monetary easing. Shares of Sony Corp. climbed 2.3%, Mizuho Financial Group Inc. rose 2.4%, shipping firm Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha Ltd. gained 4.3% and Mazda Motor Corp. spiked 5.9% in a bounce spread across sectors.

Shares of Nomura Holdings Inc. dropped 2.3% after Italian police froze EUR1.8 billion in funds from a unit of the investment bank as part of an investigation into Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena.

Worries about China's economic momentum weighed on trading in Hong Kong and Shanghai after the mainland's first-quarter gross domestic product growth disappointed earlier in the week.

Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.5% for its fourth straight day of losses, and the Shanghai Composite Index eased 0.1%. Shares of luxury-goods maker Prada SpA lost 2.3%, while footwear major Belle International Holdings Ltd. gave up 1.1%.

Among resource stocks, a few gold-linked names saw a mild recovery after recent losses, with gold Chow Tai Fook Jewellery Group Ltd. up 1.5%. South Korea's Kospi and Taiwan's Taiex edged 0.1% higher each.

COMMODITIES

Base metals on the London Metal Exchange closed lower in the wake of a declining euro, growth expectation downgrades from the International Monetary Fund and downbeat economic data out of Europe.

At the close of open outcry trading, LME three-month copper was 3% lower on Tuesday's close, at $7,080 a metric ton, having hit a fresh 17-month low earlier in the session at $7,038.75 a metric ton.

Oil futures extended their recent losses Wednesday, hitting their lowest level all year in the U.S., as investors focused on falling gasoline demand in a weekly report on domestic crude stockpiles.

Light, sweet crude for May delivery settled $2.04, or 2.3%, lower at $86.68 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange, the lowest finish yet this year. Brent crude on the ICE futures exchange declined $2.22 to $97.69 a barrel.

Gold futures resumed their downward march as pressure from a stronger dollar outweighed support from investors looking to re-enter the market after a record-setting plunge. Silver fell to its lowest settlement price since October 2010, weighed by the dollar and data showing that European car sales slowed in March.

The front-month gold contract, for April delivery, fell $4.60, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,382.20 a troy ounce on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile Exchange. Gold for June delivery, the most active contract, fell $4.70, or 0.3%, to settle at $1,382.70. Silver for April delivery settled 1.4% lower at $23.301 a troy ounce. May-delivery silver, the most active contract, fell 1.4% to $23.307. Compiled from MORRISON SECURITIES PTY. LTD.