DUBAI / Reuters Qatar’s stock index edged up on Wednesday as foreign ministers of four Arab states prepared to meet to consider sanctions against Doha. A deadline for Qatar to comply with a list of demands made by the states expired overnight. Doha has submitted replies to mediator Kuwait that have not been disclosed. Doha has shown no sign of …

Bloomberg It’s not just emerging-market stocks that have shed their umbi- lical link to oil and commodities. Bonds and currencies are also breaking free. Stocks in the developing world posted the best start to a year since 2009 even as oil capped its worst first half in 19 years. That’s partly because the weight of energy companies in the benchmark …

Bloomberg Asian equities gained even as concerns over potential international fall out from North Korea’s nuclear weapons program faded. The MSCI AC Asia Pacific Index rose 0.2 percent to 153.97 as of 4:30 p.m. in Hong Kong, reversing an earlier drop of the same magnitude. Technology stocks were among the biggest boosts to the gauge after being beaten down on …