In Asian Equity Markets stocks swung into positive territory in afternoon trade on Tuesday, propelled by China’s decision to ease some quarantine requirements for international arrivals, with Hong Kong stocks particularly supported. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was up 0.5 percent, having spent most of the day in the red. Following the news, Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index reversed its losses and jumped 0.85 percent in afternoon trade. In China, the blue-chip CSI300 index was 1 percent higher. Australian shares were up 0.86 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei stock index rose 0.66 percent.

In Currency Markets the euro held onto its recent gains on Tuesday ahead of European inflation figures this week that are expected to run hot and a speech from central bank chief Christine Lagarde, while a rally in oil prices boosted commodity currencies. The euro rose 0.28 percent overnight. It last sat at $1.0574. The dollar held modest overnight gains on other currencies and traded at 135.33 yen and $0.693 per Australian dollar in the Asia session. The U.S. dollar index struck a two-decade high of 105.79 this month and was last steady at 103.93.

In US Equity Markets stocks closed lower on Monday, with few catalysts to sway investor sentiment as they approach the half-way point of a year in which the equity markets have been slammed by heightened inflation worries and tightening Fed policy. The Dow fell 0.2 percent, to 31,438.26, the S&P 500 lost 0.3 percent, to 3,900.11 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.8 percent, to 11,514.57. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, eight ended the session in negative territory, with consumer discretionary suffering the largest percentage loss.

In Commodities Markets oil rose $2 a barrel on Monday on the prospect of even tighter supplies loomed over the market as the Group of Seven nations promised to tighten the squeeze on Russian President Vladimir Putin’s war chest while actually lowering energy prices. Brent crude futures settled 1.7 percent higher, at $115.09 a barrel, while U.S. WTI crude closed up 1.8 percent, at $109.57 a barrel. Spot gold fell 0.1 percent to $1,823.89 per ounce. Spot silver rose 0.1 percent to $21.13 per ounce, platinum was also up 0.1 percent to $908.00, while palladium fell 0.3 percent to $1,870.52.

In European Equity Markets stocks closed at a two-week high on Monday, boosted by miners as an easing of COVID-19 restrictions in China lifted global sentiment, while Prosus shares rallied on the Dutch company’s plans to trim its Tencent stake. The continent-wide STOXX 600 index rose 0.5 percent, but came off session highs with Wall Street giving up opening gains and struggling for direction as investors booked profits. Prosus NV rose 15.7 percent after the technology investor said it will gradually sell its 28.9 percent stake in Chinese software giant Tencent worth more than $100 billion at current prices.

In Bond Markets treasury yields rose on Monday as data on orders for durable goods and pending home sales surprised to the upside, but the sale of two- and five-year notes was weak as the market gauges the economy and Federal Reserve efforts to tame inflation. The 10-year note rose 7 basis points to 3.194 percent and the two-year’s yield, which can herald rate expectations, gained 6.9 basis points to 3.126 percent. The five-year rose 8.1 basis points to 3.258 percent and the seven-year rose 7.8 basis points to 3.268 percent.