Oil prices were higher in the afternoon of Asia trading hours, with international benchmark Brent crude futures up 2.45% to $44.68 per barrel. U.S. crude futures added 2.59% to $42.43 per barrel.

Gold regained some ground lost in Monday's plunge expectations of fiscal and monetary stimulus offered support to the safe-haven metal.

The bonds market posted a decline in turnover during today’s trading session, with bonds worth Kes 1.53 billion transacted in 37 deals against the 1.18 billion worth of bonds transacted in the Friday’s trading session.

The Japanese yen traded at 105 per dollar after weakening sharply from levels below 104.3 against the greenback yesterday. The Australian dollar changed hands at $0.7288 following its rise last week from levels below $0.72.

Pfizer shares closed sharply higher after soaring as much as 15.4% during the session. But another drugmaker Biogen Inc slumped as a panel of experts to the U.S. health regulator voted against the drugmaker's experimental...