In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 traded 0.7% above the flat-line in the afternoon, with basic resources and banks jumping 2% while healthcare stocks struggled a touch, falling 0.2%. Swedish engineering company Atlas Copco saw its shares gain 10% following a strong earnings forecast, sending the firm to the top of the Stoxx 600. Smith & Nephew shares fell 8% to a three-month low after the artificial joint manufacturer announced the departure of CEO Namal Nawana.

In Currency Markets the dollar was crawling toward its worst month since January 2018 on Monday as intermittent waves of Brexit optimism pushed the pound to a 5-1/2 month high and kept the euro’s bumper October intact. Against the dollar, sterling was last up 0.1% in North American trade, having earlier broken above $1.30 for the first time in 5-1/2 months. The euro was 0.18% higher against the dollar, having also been lifted by Brexit optimism this month by 2.23%.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell more than 1% on Monday after comments from a U.S. official stymied hopes that a U.S.-China trade deal would be reached soon, prompting renewed concern that a slowing global economy would reduce demand for oil. Brent crude futures fell 89 cents, or 1.5%, to $58.53 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were down 74 cents, or 1.4%, at $53.04 a barrel.

In US Equity Markets indices on Monday after the United States and China showed some signs of progress in resolving their trade war, but a fall in Boeing’s shares pressured the blue-chip Dow index. The S&P 500 was up 0.40%, at 2,998.08 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.43%, at 8,124.23. Halliburton Co gained 6%, reversing earlier losses, after the oilfield services provider detailed plans of further cost reductions on a conference call. The company reported a 32% fell in third-quarter profit.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields rose on Monday, in line with gains in stocks, lifted by optimism about a potential trade deal between the United States and China as well as a resolution of Britain’s protracted negotiations to leave the European Union. U.S. 30-year yields rose to five-week highs, climbing for eight straight sessions. U.S. 10-year and two-year yields, on the other hand, advanced in six of the last eight days. Since early September, both 10-year and 30-year yields have risen about 30 basis points.