Gasoline Market Update

 Gasoline for January delivery RBF5, +0.24%   rose by 3 cents to settle at $1.57 a gallon on the Nymex. January heating oil HOF5, -0.20%  gained 5 cents to end at $2.01 a gallon on the Nymex.

Oil rises, bouncing off five-year low

U.S. crude-oil futures bounced back Wednesday, rebounding from a five-year low after data showed crude inventories declined, although less than forecast.

Crude futures for delivery in January CLF5, -0.12%  settled higher by 54 cents, or 1%, at $56.47 a barrel on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Oil had traded as low as $54.21 in earlier action Wednesday, its lowest level since May 2009, then jumped by as much as 5% to nearly $59 before giving back most of that gain.

Gold briefly tops $1,200 after dovish Fed statement

Gold futures switched between small gains and losses Wednesday in electronic trading, after briefly jumping above the key round number of $1,200 in the wake of what some analysts described as a more-dovish-than-anticipated Federal Reserve statement.

Gold for February delivery GCG5, +0.36%  was last down $2.70, or 0.2%, to $1,191.60 an ounce. Before the Fed release hit at 2 p.m. Eastern, February gold had settled slightly higher but under $1,200 — up 20 cents to $1,194.50 an ounce, snapping a five-day losing streak.

Asian Market Update

Asian markets rallied on Thursday with investors rushing back after a recent sell-off, spurred by a Wall Street recovery and an indication from the US Federal Reserve that interest rates will not likely rise until mid-2015.

While bank policymakers were reticent to give a firm date, their language indicated a change in tack, which analysts said suggested a rise in the first six months of the year. That lit a fire under the dollar.

Easing concerns about Russia's economy and a pick-up in oil prices also provided support to regional shares, with bargain-buyers making their move.

Tokyo surged 2.37 per cent as the greenback advanced against the dollar.

KLSE Malaysia Opening Market Update

MALAYSIA share prices opened higher on Thursday with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index up 6.82 points to 1688.03.

Volume was 59.71 million lots worth RM24.46 million.

Gainers outnumbered losers 197 to 33.