Bonds
Bonds: Gilts outperform amid weak data on either side of the Pond
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2. 95% (-1bp) UK: 1. 42% (-3bp) Germany: 0. 56% (-1bp) France: 0. 79% (-1bp) Italy: 1. 78% (+4bp) Spain: 1. 28% (+2bp) Portugal: 1. 68% (+2bp) Greece: 3. 87% (-6bp) Japan: 0. 06% (+0bp).
Wage gains drive US employment cost growth
Employment costs in the US picked-up at the beginning of the year, as wage and salary growth nearly doubled.
No discussion of the course of future monetary policy, ECB's Draghi says
Rate-setters in Frankfurt opted to keep a steady hand on the tiller, by not reading too much into the recent softness in some economic indicators while expressing continuing confidence in the outlook, both for activity and on the outlook for inflation.
ECB says QE to run until September, or beyond, if necessary
The European Central Bank kept all its main policy rates unchanged on Thursday, reiterating its intention to continue its asset purchases until the end of September 2018, or beyond if necessary.
Bonds: Gilts steady amid news of first current budget surplus since 2000
These were the movements in some of the most closely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2. 99% (+2bp) UK: 1. 54% (+0bp) Germany: 0. 63% (-1bp) France: 0. 85% (-0bp) Spain: 1. 30% (-1bp) Italy: 1. 77% (-3bp) Portugal: 1. 68% (-2bp) Greece: 3. 99% (-5bp) Japan: 0. 06% (-1bp).
Death of 38-year US bond 'bull market' not yet on the cards, Macquarie says
Global growth has peaked, "but the long tail of the crisis is finally beginning to pass," analysts at Macquarie argued on Tuesday, further arguing that 10-year US Treasury yields would not "break" the 3. 0% mark until the third quarter of 2018, although a breach was possible in coming days.
Manufacturing growth and optimism weaken, CBI says
Manufacturing growth slowed in the three months to April as optimism among factory managers weakened, the CBI reported.
Bonds: Gilts at both the short and long ends of the curve underperform
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: US: 2. 97% (+1bp) UK: 1. 54% (+6bp) Germany: 0. 64% (+5bp) France: 0. 85% (+4bp) Spain: 1. 31% (+3bp) Italy: 1. 79% (+2bp) Portugal: 1. 7% (+4bp) Greece: 4. 04% (-1bp) Japan: 0. 07% (+1bp).
BoE's Carney dials back on rate hike expectations, pound drops
An interest rate rise is "likely" in 2018 but any tightening will be gradual, Bank of England Governor Mark Carney told the BBC, highlighting the shortfall seen in investment versus what might have been expected were it not for Brexit.
Global financial stability risks remain elevated, IMF says
The International Monetary Fund warned in its Financial Stability Report on Wednesday that medium-term financial stability risks remained "elevated", with the vulnerabilities which had built-up over recent years possibly paving the way for a "bumpy" road ahead - which could put growth at risk.
PBoC cuts reserve requirement ratio by 100 basis points
China's central bank has announced a reduction in its legal reserve requirement for some of the country's main financial institutions, but some economists believed that would only partially offset the tighter financial conditions resulting from Beijing's increased macro-prudential measures.
Mondi assessing potential investments after S&P upgrades
Packaging and paper company Mondi is considering its options to expand the Stambolijski mill in Bulgaria.
US March CPI edges past forecasts, base effects boost core inflation
Consumer prices in the States dipped unexpectedly last month, but in the yearly comparison inflation still overshot economists' forecasts.
Xi Speech - Analysts react
"Xi's goal appears to have been twofold. First, portray China as a responsible actor and defender of globalism and free trade. Second, convince foreign firms and governments that China is entering a "new phase of opening up". Neither of these narratives are entirely convincing. It is true that Trump sparked the latest flare up in trade tensions. But the broader backdrop is that despite gradually opening up in recent decades, China retains much higher tariffs barriers than both the US and EU.
Nowotny says ECB could lift deposit rate first, spokesman clarifies
A top European Central Bank official said that as a first move towards tighter policy the monetary authority could raise its deposit rate, followed by an increase in its main policy rate.
US producer prices rise more quickly than expected in March
Producer price gains in the States picked up more quickly than expected last month, as a jump in food prices more than offset a large drop in energy costs.
French and Italian industrial production for February point to downside risks
Industrial production in the euro area's second and third-largest economies held up in February, but mostly as a result of a surge in energy output, on the back of cold weather, which helped to offset some of the weakness in manufacturing.
US jobs market not "excessively tight", Fed's Powell says
The lack of a faster pick-up in wages appears to be indicating that the US jobs market is not "excessively tight", the new head of the US central bank said, arguing for a gradual pace of interest rate hikes.
Bonds: Weak data won't deter MPC, economists say
These were the movements in some of the most widely-followed 10-year sovereign bond yields: .
Moody's downgrades Barclays to reflect risk after ring-fencing
Moody's has downgraded its rating on Barclays after the bank split its retail and investment banking activities under rules to make banks safer.