Bloomberg US stocks rose for just the second time in nine sessions, as financial shares rebounded from a six-week low after a spike in consumer confidence rekindled optimism in the strength of the American economy. Treasuries slipped and the dollar edged higher. Banks slammed by concern Donald Trump would have trouble getting regulatory roll-backs through Congress rallied on Tuesday …

  HONG KONG / AP Asian stocks were uneven on Wednesday as investors weighed strong US economic reports against uncertainty as Britain readies a formal request to leave the European Union. Tokyo’s benchmark Nikkei 225 index was practically unchanged at 19,208.10 and South Korea’s Kospi rose less than 0.1 percent to 2,164.32. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed 0.4 percent to …

  DUBAI / Reuters A small rebound in the Brent crude oil price towards $52 a barrel helped lift Saudi Arabia’s stock index on Wednesday, in an otherwise sluggish trading session in the region. The Saudi index rose 1.1 percent to 6,949 points as almost three-quarters of traded stocks advanced. Petrochemical shares were particularly strong with all but one of …