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By Bloomberg

European equity-index futures slid while oil retreated before U.S. stockpiles data. Japan’s Nikkei 225 Stock Average closed at its highest since 2000 and bonds rose on speculation the Federal Reserve will delay raising interest rates.

Contracts on the Euro Stoxx 50 Index were 0.4 percent lower by 7:48 a.m. in London, while Standard & Poor’s 500 Index futures retreated 0.2 percent. The Nikkei 225 rose 0.4 percent. U.S. oil slid 3 percent. Australia’s dollar erased gains after the Wall Street Journal reported S&P said the country’s AAA credit rating could be at risk. Yields on 10-year government notes fell from Australia to Germany after Treasuries rose Wednesday. The euro was 0.2 percent stronger and gold advanced 0.2 percent.

Greece plans to submit a request to the euro area for a six-month loan extension on Thursday, according to a government official. Fed officials signaled an inclination to keep rates on hold “for a longer time,” in minutes of their January meeting published Wednesday. Markets from China to Korea and Hong Kong remained closed Thursday for holidays. U.S. oil stockpiles may have reached a fresh record last week.

“If the Fed delays rate hikes beyond September while the U.S. economy’s not doing badly, it’ll be a boost for stock markets around the world,” Mitsushige Akino, an executive officer at Ichiyoshi Asset Management Co. in Tokyo, said by phone. Japan’s “large-cap stocks will have a hard time rising as the yen isn’t that weak. The general consensus that the rate hikes will be between June and September hasn’t changed.”

Balancing Risks

The Bloomberg Dollar Spot Index, which measures the U.S. currency against 10 of its most-traded peers, has retreated about 1 percent since hitting a 10-year high on Feb. 11. The euro bought $1.1415 today.

The dollar’s strength, turmoil in Greece and Ukraine as well as slow wage growth were cited as arguments to put off what would be the Fed’s first U.S. rate rise since 2006. The central bank is weighing encouraging news on growth and the labor market with below-target inflation in assessing the correct moment to raise rates, the minutes showed.

Policy makers suggested the “balance of risks” associated with the timeline for rates had inclined them toward staying on hold for a longer time. Investors will now look to congressional testimony from Chair Janet Yellen next week for clues.

Greece has been at odds with other euro-area governments over the formula needed to extend the country’s 240 billion-euro rescue beyond its expiry at the end of February. The country risks being left without a financial backstop and on course to default on some of its liabilities as early as next month if it doesn’t reach a creditor accord.

Topix Index

European Central Bank policy makers on Wednesday set Emergency Liquidity Assistance for Greek banks at 68.3 billion euros ($77.9 billion), up from 65 billion euros, a euro-area central-bank official said.

Japan’s Topix added 0.8 percent in a fourth day of gains, while the yen climbed 0.1 percent to 118.72 per dollar following a 0.4 percent advance on Wednesday. Export growth in Asia’s second-largest economy accelerated to the fastest pace in more than a year last month, data Thursday showed.

BHP, AMP

In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 Index slipped 0.2 percent, dragged lower by BHP Billiton Ltd., the country’s biggest oil producer. AMP Ltd. touched its highest level since 2009 after the insurer reported an increase in profit. The NZX 50 Index was down 0.3 percent in Wellington.

The Aussie slipped 0.3 percent to 77.88 U.S. cents after rising as much as 0.3 percent to 78.43 U.S. cents. Australia’s budget outlook has weakened sharply in the last six months as commodity prices have plunged, Wall Street Journal cited S&P sovereign analyst Craig Michaels as saying.

Markets in Hong Kong, mainland China, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines are shut Thursday for holidays, and there is no settlement of trades in India.

West Texas Intermediate crude for March delivery slid to $50.45 a barrel, extending Wednesday’s 2.6 percent drop. The American Petroleum Institute said U.S. oil supplies rose by 14.3 million barrels last week, according to reports on Twitter.

Official data on stockpiles is due Thursday from the U.S. government’s Energy Information Administration, with analysts surveyed by Bloomberg predicting the report will show an increase of 3 million barrels in the week through Feb. 13. Supplies increased the prior five straight weeks to 417.9 million barrels, the most in weekly records that begun 1982.

Brent, Gold

Brent crude, the benchmark for more than half the world’s oil, fell 1.9 percent to $59.35 a barrel in London.

Gold for immediate delivery climbed to $1,214.92 an ounce. Silver rose 0.7 percent to $16.6169 an ounce and platinum was 0.3 percent higher at $1,178.25.

Yields on two-year Treasury notes slipped one basis point to 0.59 percent after sliding six basis points, or 0.06 percentage point, after the Fed minutes. Rates on the note, which is regarded as more sensitive to expectations of changes in Fed policy than its longer-term peers, were as low as 0.40 percent last month. Ten-year securities paid 2.06 percent.