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• US STOCKS SNAPSHOT - Futures briefly trim gains after data Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 8:36 AM ET

  NEW YORK, March 28- U.S. stock index futures briefly trimmed gains after data showed initial jobless claims rose more than expected last week and the U.S. economy expanded at a sluggish pace in the fourth quarter.

• US STOCKS-Futures inch higher, set to close out strong quarter Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 8:30 AM ET

  *Cyprus reopens banks under tight restrictions. NEW YORK, March 28- U.S. stock index futures edged up on Thursday and were set to close out a strong quarter, as investors shifted focus from Cyprus to data about the U.S. economy, which has been showing slow, steady improvement.

• Bailout success story Ireland tops Q1 bond returns Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 8:10 AM ET

  LONDON, March 28- Irish bonds are set to continue outperforming euro zone peers after topping the returns table in the first quarter while the political stalemate in Italy could mean more disappointment for its holders of its debt.

• US STOCKS-Futures edge up ahead of data; set to close out strong quarter Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 7:53 AM ET

  NEW YORK, March 28- U.S. stock index futures edged up on Thursday and were set to close out a strong quarter, as investors shifted focus from developments in the euro zone and Cyprus to the U.S. economy, which is expected show continued improvements.

• UPDATE 3-Oil edges higher as Cyprus banks reopen Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 6:34 AM ET

  *Coming Up: U.S. Weekly jobless claims; 1230 GMT. LONDON, March 28- Oil rose on Thursday underpinned by expectations of a revival in demand growth in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, while Europe's debt worries capped gains. There is a lot of uncertainty over Europe and Cyprus but people will not readjust their books ahead of the break. "

• U.S. and Japan drive G7 recovery as euro zone lags - OECD Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 6:00 AM ET

  *Economic growth rebounding in U.S. and Japan. PARIS, March 28- The United States and Japan are leading a rebound in advanced economies while the still fragile euro zone needs an interest rate cut to ensure a recovery takes hold, the OECD said on Thursday. We see growth firming in the U.S., we see more growth in Japan thanks to new measures, and we see more growth in Germany. "

• Record outflows seen from gold ETFs; investors head for exit Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 4:00 AM ET

  *Outflows continued despite price boost from Cyprus crisis. LONDON, March 28- Gold- backed exchange-traded funds are set for their biggest quarterly outflow since inception, with investors beating a hasty retreat from the market due to a brightened global economic backdrop.

• Europe stock futures signal dip; eyes on Cyprus Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 3:03 AM ET

  At 0702 GMT, futures for the Euro STOXX 50, for the UK's FTSE 100, for Germany's DAX and for France's CAC were down 0.04-0.11 percent.

• Japan 10-, 20-yr govt bond yields hit near-decade low on stimulus hopes Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 2:44 AM ET

  TOKYO, March 28- Yields on benchmark 10- year Japanese government bonds plumbed a near-decade low for a sixth day in a row on Thursday, driven by market conviction that the central bank will deliver a bold monetary stimulus at its meeting next week.

• UPDATE 1-Brent holds near $110 on demand revival hopes, Europe caps Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 2:36 AM ET

  *Asian shares, base metals fall on Italy, Cyprus worries. *Cyprus reopens banks, under strict restrictions. SINGAPORE, March 28- Brent crude held near $110 a barrel on Thursday on hopes of a revival in demand growth in the United States, the world's biggest oil consumer, after a surprise fall in product inventories, while Europe's debt worries capped gains.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares fall, euro shaky as Europe worries mount Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 2:17 AM ET

  *MSCI Asia ex- Japan falls 0.7 pct, dragged by banks and China. TOKYO, March 28- Asian shares fell on Thursday as weak euro zone data, a sluggish debt auction in Italy and fears of a potential run on Cyprus's banks stoked investors' concerns about instability in Europe.

• TREASURIES-U.S. bond prices fall, on track for weak 1st quarter Thursday, 28 Mar 2013 | 12:56 AM ET

  *Signs of calm in Cyprus pare safe haven bids for bonds. Equities took some luster off bonds, and the seven-year auction was a bit of a disappointment, "said Anthony Valeri, fixed income strategist at LPL Financial in San Diego.

• Ten-year JGB yield plumbs near-decade low on BOJ stimulus hopes Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 10:28 PM ET

  TOKYO, March 28- Yields on benchmark 10- year Japanese government bonds plumbed a near-decade low for a sixth day in a row on Thursday, driven by market conviction that the central bank will deliver a bold monetary stimulus at its meeting next week.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Asian shares ease on Italy, Cyprus worries Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 8:28 PM ET

  *MSCI Asia ex- Japan edges down 0.1 pct, Nikkei opens down 0.3 pct. TOKYO, March 28- Asian shares eased and the euro remained under pressure on Thursday as investors fretted over the euro zone after a weak debt auction in Italy and the potential for a run on Cyprus's banks when they reopen later in the day.

• Oil industry to sidestep brunt of new U.S. swaps rules Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 5:57 PM ET

  WASHINGTON, March 27- Oil companies are largely escaping the close scrutiny of derivatives trading they once warned would harm their business and are seeking further delays from U.S. regulators. BP Plc has told the Commodity Futures Trading Commission it would register, one of the two people said, but probably not for several more months.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Shares slip, euro at 4-month low on Cyprus fears Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 4:35 PM ET

  NEW YORK, March 27- Major stock markets fell and the euro slumped to a four-month low against the dollar on Wednesday, hit by a disappointing Italian bond auction and concern about a wider impact on the euro zone from Cyprus's bailout. Gold rose above $1,600 an ounce.

• Trina Solar, JA Solar confident of making looming bond payments Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 3:25 PM ET

  March 27- China- based Trina Solar Ltd and JA Solar Holdings Co Ltd said they will be able to pay for their U.S. bonds that mature in the next few months, days after rival Suntech Power Holdings Co Ltd defaulted on $541 million of its bonds. However, executives at Trina and JA Solar said they have the cash to meet bond obligations in the United States.

• Puerto Rico eyes tax hikes to help cure deficit-officials Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 3:19 PM ET

  March 27- Puerto Rico's new government is eyeing more than $1 billion in tax hikes and other changes meant to fix chronic budget gaps worrying U.S. bond buyers and Wall Street credit rating agencies.

• GLOBAL MARKETS-Stocks slip on euro zone fears; euro at 4-mth low Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 3:04 PM ET

  NEW YORK, March 27- Major stock markets fell and the euro slumped to a four-month low against the dollar on Wednesday, hit by a disappointing Italian bond auction and concern about a wider impact on the euro zone from Cyprus's bailout. Gold rose above $1,600 an ounce.

• TREASURIES-Yields lowest in three weeks on euro zone safety bid Wednesday, 27 Mar 2013 | 3:03 PM ET

  NEW YORK, March 27- Fears about the euro zone sent benchmark 10- year Treasuries yields to more than three-week lows and helped them break below technical resistance on Wednesday as investors fretted over further bank restructurings and Italy's soft bond auction.