In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed up by 0.6 percent. In the U.K., markets are closed due to a public holiday. Food and beverage was among the top performing sectors, up by 0.7 percent. Kerry group drove the sector higher, up by nearly 3 percent. The company reported last week a 3.7 percent increase in volumes during the first quarter of the year. At the same time, the sector received news that Nestle will pay $7.15 billion to Starbucks to market the products of the U.S. coffee firm around the world. Nestle shares rose 1.3 percent. Technology stocks took the lead Monday. At the top of the sector was Austria Microsystems, up by 3 percent.

In Currency Markets the US dollar hit its highest level against a basket of currencies so far in 2018 as investors increased bets that rising interest rates in the United States would boost the greenback, while traders unwound their bearish positions on the currency.The euro shed 0.33 percent at $1.1918 after touching $1.1896, the lowest in more than four months. The British pound traded up 0.25 percent at $1.3560, bouncing off a four-month low of $1.3487 set last week. Sterling has declined in the past fortnight as investors reversed expectations of a rate hike at the Bank of England’s upcoming meeting on Thursday amid soft domestic data.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose to their highest levels since late 2014 on Monday, boosted by the latest troubles for Venezuelan oil company PDVSA and a looming decision on whether the United States will re-impose sanctions on Iran. Brent crude oil futures were at $75.81 a barrel, up 94 cents. At the session high, they touched their peak since November 2014 at $75.91. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose 69 cents to $70.40, the first time since November 2014 that WTI had climbed above $70. China’s Shanghai crude oil futures, launched in March, broke their dollar-converted record high, touching $72.54.

In US Equity Markets indices traded higher on Monday as U.S. crude hit $70 per barrel for the first time since late 2014, while shares of technology companies were lifted by Apple’s sixth day of gains. The S&P energy index was the biggest gainer among the 11 major S&P sectors, rising 2.1 percent. Apple was up 1.9 percent, extending its gains since it reported results last week and after Berkshire Hathaway on Friday disclosed that it had boosted its stake in the iPhone maker. Warren Buffett told CNBC on Monday, “I’d love to own 100 percent of it.” The S&P 500 was up 0.59 percent, at 2,679.12 and the Nasdaq Composite was up 0.95 percent, at 7,278.20.

In Bond Markets government bond yields in the euro area rose in late Monday trading after the European Central Bank’s chief economist Peter Praet said an unexpected drop in euro zone core inflation may be a one-off.  The recent dip is likely due to temporary factors and overall price growth is still seen hovering around 1.5 percent in the coming months, Praet said. Bond yields in the single currency bloc rose after his remarks. Germany’s benchmark 10-year Bund yield was marginally higher on the day at 0.53 percent, having reversed earlier falls to almost 3-week lows at 0.52 percent.