Shares rally to records ahead of US jobs report, yields and dollar down

A street sign for Wall Street hangs in front of the New York Stock Exchange

NEW YORK/LONDON: Global stock indexes rallied to record highs on Thursday, while government bond yields fell after the European Central Bank held interest rates steady and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell reiterated that easing was likely in 2024 if inflation behaved.

The yield on benchmark 10-year U.S. Treasury notes hit a near one-month low then steadied as investors adjusted positions before Friday's release of the February U.S. payrolls report.