Market Pulse - Currencies
Brent and WTI futures jump as US scraps sanctions waivers for Iranian oil
Oil prices rose on Monday after the US announced that countries trading with Tehran must end all imports of crude from Iran or face sanctions.
China prepping new stimulus package, says Bloomberg
Chinese officials appear to be preparing a stimulus package as they aim to improve sales of items such as cars and electronics after the nation's economy showed signs of reinvigoration on Wednesday.
US-China deal could give Beijing dangerous trade tool
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Monday that the US agreed with China that the enforcement mechanism of fair trade will be reciprocal, in a move that some observers believed might harm US companies and the World Trade Organization itself.
Over 100 people arrested in Extinction Rebellion protests in London
Climate change protests by Extinction Rebellion demonstrators in central London resulted in over 100 arrests.
FX round-up: Pound edges higher, talks between Labour and Government in focus
Sterling edged up on Monday, following remarks from Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who said during a visit to Japan that talks with Labour - which are set to continue over the Easter recess - had been "more constructive than people thought".
Julian Assange arrested at Ecuadorian embassy in London
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange was arrested at the Ecuadorian embassy in London on Thursday.
China inflation jumps in March, but only as expected
Chinese consumer prices picked up in March as food inflation bounced back following a big Lunar New Year induced slowdown during the previous month.
Finablr plans to sell $200m worth of stock in London IPO
Finablr is considering raising $200m through the sale of new shares via an initial public offering on the London Stock Exchange.
ECB stays put on rates, reiterates guidance
Rate-setters at the European Central Bank stayed put on interest rates on Wednesday and reiterated guidance for them to remain unchanged at least through the end of the year.
Differences between China and EU mount ahead of annual summit
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang and European Union institution leaders are set to meet in Brussels on Tuesday at the annual EU-China summit but could face differences over trade and investment.
IMF slashes 2019 global GDP forecast
The world's economic watchdog took an axe to its near-term forecasts for global growth for the third time in six months, warning that the outlook for a projected recovery in growth was "precarious".
StanChart settles with UK and US regulators for over $1bn
StanChart will pay just over $1bn to settle two probes with US and British regulators, respectively, relating to the violation of US sanctions against Iran between 2001 and 2014 and the alleged inadequacies of its internal controls.
Societe Generale to cut 1,600 jobs to restore profitability
French banking giant Societe Generale on Tuesday revealed plans to shed 1,600 positions following its latest operational review, starting from the third quarter of 2019 onwards.
FX round-up: Pound gains versus US dollar, but dips against the euro
The pound was weaker against the euro at the start of the week, as investors waited for a breakthrough on Brexit despite news that talks between the government and the Labour party had failed to yield any concrete results.
Commodities: WTI pushes to five-month high on geopolitics
Energy futures paced gains at the start of the week, with reports at the weekend of increased fighting in Libya helping to prop up crude oil futures.
EU stands 'fully behind Ireland' in Brexit negotiations, says Barnier
The EU's chief negotiator Michel Barnier on Monday said that, in the event of a no-deal Brexit, the EU will refuse to open trade talks with Britain until an agreement is in place regarding the Irish border, citizens’ rights and a financial settlement.
US and China 'closer and closer' to trade deal, talks set to continue
Washington and Beijing are making progress in trade talks and negotiations are set to continue throughout the week, a top Trump administration official said at the weekend.
Credit Bank of Moscow inks new $500m syndicated loan with 12 global lenders
Credit Bank of Moscow tapped global capital markets successfully again this week, clinching an international syndicated loan for the third year in a row, cementing its leading position in the region's syndicated lending market in the process.
US non-farm payrolls rise by 196,000 in March, earnings fall short
US job growth returned to trend last month as some of the erratic factors that depressed the previous month's reading washed out of the data, but the latest wage data fell short of forecasts.
Bonds: Fed officials push back on rate cut speculation
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields:.