Platinum and Copper Market Update

 Platinum for April delivery PLJ5, +0.30%  climbed $6.60 to $1,235.20 an ounce, while March palladium PAH5, +0.45%  shed $2, or 0.3%, to $786 an ounce.

High-grade copper for March delivery HGH5, -0.04%  surged 9 cents, or 3.7%, to $2.58 a pound.

Gold retreats as Greece blinks

Gold skidded on Tuesday as its safe-haven appeal faded with Greece taking a much more accommodating stance on its standoff with the European Union on repayment of debt.

Gold for April delivery GCJ5, +0.25%  fell $16.60, or 1.3%, to settle at $1,260.30 an ounce. March silver futures SIH5, +0.11% rose 7 cents to $17.32 an ounce.

Oil retreats from highs as inventory data show huge build

Benchmark U.S. crude-oil futures headed solidly lower in early electronic trade Wednesday, giving away a chunk of the gains made in a monster rally the previous day as inventory data showed more oil on hand than expected.

West Texas Intermediate crude for March CLH5, -1.30%  was down $1.48, or 2.8%, at $51.57 a barrel by midday in East Asia.

Brent North Sea crude, saw a slightly more moderate drop early Wednesday, with the March Brent contract LCOH5, -0.31%   down 93 cents, or 1.6%, to $56.98 a barrel. March Brent had risen 5.8% the previous day.

Current Market Update

Here are the latest trading levels for Asia's major stock markets: 

Tokyo (Nikkei Average NIK, +2.00% ) up 2.1% 

 Hong Kong (Hang Seng Index HSI, +0.85% ) up 0.8% 

Shanghai (Shanghai Composite Index SHCOMP, +0.25% ) up 0.3% (at break) 

 Sydney (S&P/ASX 200 XJO, +1.10% ) up 0.9% 

Seoul (Kospi SEU, +0.78% ) up 0.7% 

 Mumbai (Sensex 1, +0.18% ) up 0.4% 

 Taipei (Taiex Y9999, +0.73% ) up 0.8%

KLSE Malaysia Opening Market Update

MALAYSIA share prices opened higher on Wednesday with the FTSE Bursa Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Composite Index up 33.38 points to 1814.72.

Volume was 29.05 million lots worth RM9.9 million.

Gainers outnumbered losers 48 to 12.