In European Equity Markets stocks finished Monday’s session in the black, as investors shook off concerns surrounding global trade. The pan-Europe Stoxx 600 rose 0.52 percent by the close, with almost all sectors ending in positive territory. Banking stocks were among the biggest gainers. RPC rose 17 percent and led the gains across Europe, after reporting that it is in early discussions with U.S. asset management giant Apollo Global Management for a potential takeover.

In Currency Markets the euro and sterling rose against the dollar on Monday after the European Union’s top negotiator said an agreement for Britain to leave the economic bloc might be reached in the coming weeks. The pound in particular had been under pressure in recent weeks on anxiety that Britain would exit from the EU without any formal trading arrangement. The sterling was up as much as 1 percent versus the dollar. It was last up 0.8 percent at $1.3025. The euro rose nearly 0.5 percent at $1.16090, but was down 0.4 percent at 89.105 pence.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose on Monday as growth of U.S. drilling braked and investors anticipated lower supply once new U.S. sanctions against Iran’s crude exports kick in from November. Brent crude oil jumped 90 cents to $77.73 a barrel. U.S. light crude was 67 cents higher at $68.42 a barrel. U.S. drillers cut two oil rigs last week, reducing the total count to 860, Baker Hughes said on Friday. Spot gold was up 0.1 percent at $1,196.81 an ounce, while U.S. gold futures rose 0.2 percent to $1,202.70.

In US Equity Markets indexes were higher on Monday, boosted by the consumer discretionary sector and as hopes for a new round of tax cuts overshadowed fears of an escalation in the Sino-U.S. trade war. The S&P 500 was up 0.42 percent, at 2,883.83 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.19 percent, at 7,917.90. Nike rose 2.1 percent after Wedbush said it sees scope for higher sales growth and margin expansion at the world’s largest footwear maker. Alibaba fell 1.4 percent after the company said Jack Ma will step down as chairman in one year.

In Bond Markets the yield on the two-year U.S. Treasury note hit a 10-year high on Monday, holding gains made on Friday after the largest annual rise in wages since 2009 raised expectations of higher inflation and increased prospects of a September interest-rate hike. The two-year yield, which reflects market expectations of Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes, was up about half a basis point on Monday to a top of 2.715 percent, its highest since July 2008. The 10-year yield was down slightly at 2.935 percent from Friday’s high of 2.950 percent, its highest since Aug. 9.