Currencies

• EUR/USD The dollar weakened against most of its major peers after Greek Prime Minister Lucas Papademos said progress had been made in debt-swap talks with bondholders, snapping demand for a refuge from Europe's fiscal crisis.
  • The U.S. currency dropped 0.3 percent to $1.3184 per euro as of 6:36 a.m. in London

• USD/JPY The greenback fell as much as 0.2 percent to 76.18 yen, the lowest since Oct. 31, before trading at 76.30.

• USD/CAD Canada's dollar fluctuated versus its U.S. counterpart and climbed against most of its other major peers as sparring over a second bailout for Greece spurred demand for safety.
  • Canada's dollar, was little changed at C$1.0015 per U.S. dollar at 5 p.m. Toronto time.

Commodities

• Oil gained as investors speculated that fuel demand will climb after industrial output rose more than forecast in Japan, the third-biggest crude consumer.
  • Crude for March delivery gained as much as 79 cents to $99.57 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

• Gold ticked up on Tuesday after the euro recouped some losses, while bullion prices headed for their biggest monthly rise since August as lingering concerns about growth in the United States prompted buying from investors.
  • Gold added $7.05 an ounce to $1,735.69 by 0315 GMT, having hit a low around $1,716 on Monday.

Equities

• Asian stocks rose, with a regional benchmark index headed for its second-biggest monthly rally since September 2010.
  • Japan's Nikkei 225 Stock Average rose 0.1 percent.
  • Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index gained 0.8 percent.

• U.S. stocks fell, sending the Standard & Poor's 500 Index lower for a third day, as European leaders sparred with Greece over a second rescue program.
  • The S&P 500 decreased 0.3 percent.
  • The Dow Jones Industrial Average retreated 6.74 points.

• European stocks dropped the most in six weeks as Portuguese bonds sank amid concern a meeting of the region's leaders will fail to draw a line under the sovereign- debt crisis.
  • The U.K.'s FTSE 100 lost 1.1 percent.
  • Germany's DAX slid 1 percent.
  • France's CAC 40 retreated 1.6 percent.

Sources: Bloomberg, FT