WORLD FINANCE UPDATE:
The Australian dollar has rallied above 79 US cents, maintaining its strength against the weaker greenback.
At 0630 AEDT on Wednesday, the local currency was trading at 78.73 US cents, up from 78.67 cents on Tuesday.
And the Australian share market looks set to open lower after Wall Street fell amid signs that US inflation is rising.
At 0645 AEDT on Wednesday, the June share price index futures contract was down five points at 5,973.
ELSEWHERE:
ATHENS - Cash-strapped Greece wants the European Union's rescue fund to return 1.2 billion euros ($1.3 billion) unduly handed over by Athens, a source with knowledge of the issue says.
BRUSSELS - Eurozone business activity hit a near four-year high in March as the 19-country currency area's modest economic activity continued despite concerns over the Greek debt crisis.
WASHINGTON - US consumer prices have risen broadly as energy prices rebound, pushing petrol higher.
LONDON - Britain's inflation rate slowed sharply to zero in February for the first time, pulled down by falling prices for recreational goods, food, furniture and oil.
WASHINGTON - Sales of new US homes in February have climbed to their fastest pace in seven years.
SEYNE, France - A plane operated by the budget carrier of Germany's Lufthansa has crashed in a remote area of the French Alps, killing all 150 on board in the worst plane disaster in mainland France for four decades.
MADRID - Spain's Telefonica will sell British telecom giant O2 to Hong Kong group Hutchison Whampoa for STG10 billion ($A18.86 billion) in a deal set to create one of Britain's biggest mobile phone firms.
SAN FRANCISCO - Google has named as its new chief financial officer Ruth Porat, who will move from a similar position at the investment banking giant Morgan Stanley.
WASHINGTON - Amazon has announced its Fire TV media stick for streaming video is being sold in Britain and Germany, as part of a push to expand its online television services.
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