FX Guys

Bank relief and Alibaba plans nudge stocks higher

Receding inflation in Spain and Germany helped government bonds in the euro zone.

Markets were also looking for guidance on the trajectory for interest rates from the Federal Reserve’s most preferred inflation gauge due on Friday, the personal consumption expenditure (PCE) index, and U.S. non-farm payrolls next week.

The dollar was a touch weaker, while crude oil prices rose after a surprise drop in U.S. stockpiles.

Global stocks were up 0.3% at three-week highs and on course for a 4.9% quarterly gain.

“The next few days are going to be a key test of this stabilisation with month-end, and quarter-end, coming up when you have a lot of funds doing a tidy up, then suddenly it’s where do we go from here?” said Mike Hewson, chief markets analyst at CMC Markets.

In Europe, the STOXX index of 600 leading companies rose 1.3% to hit a two-week high.

U.S. stock index futures were about 0.5% firmer. The rates-sensitive Nasdaq is up nearly 14%…
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