NEW YORK, April 17 (Reuters) - U.S.-listed shares of foreigncompanies tumbled on Wednesday, with commodity-relatedcompanies taking the hardest hit as basic materials pricescontinued to slide.
Brent and U.S. crude prices fell more than 2 percent, and anindex of U.S.-traded European oil and gas companies slid 2.3 percent.
Commodity-heavy markets fell sharply, with Americandepositary receipts of Brazilian companies down 2.8percent. ADRs of Petrobras fell 3.6 percent to $15.47and those of Vale were down 1.9 percent at $15.85
The BNY Mellon index of leading ADRs dropped 1.9percent, while the S&P 500 index was down 1.3 percent.
ADRs were further pressured by strength in the U.S. dollar.The dollar index rose 1.1 percent, on track for itslargest daily percentage gain in more than nine months.
The BNY Mellon index of leading European ADRs dropped 2.1 percent. ADRs of BHP Billiton plc fell 4.8percent to $54.18.
Bucking the trend, GlaxoSmithKline ADRs rose 1.3percent to $50 after an advisory panel to the U.S. regulatorsrecommended the approval of an experimental treatment forsmoking-related lung damage made by Glaxo and Theravance Inc.
The BNY Mellon index of leading Asian ADRs fell 1.3percent, while Japanese ADRs shed 0.5 percent as someexporters posted small gains on the back of a weaker yen.
ADRs of Canon rose 2.7 percent.
Glaxosmithkline (GSK)