In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed unchanged, with sectors and major bourses pointing in opposite directions. Banks were by far the worst performing sector, down 2 percent, weighed down by an 11 percent downturn in Metro Bank shares. Other news weighing on the sector was a report that Deutsche Bank was gearing up for a potential merger with rival Commerzbank by mid-2019 in case its restructuring efforts fall short of targets. Shares of the German lenders fell around 5 percent.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar fell against most major currencies on Thursday, declining to a two-week low versus the yen, pressured by the Federal Reserve’s cautious U.S. economic outlook suggesting the central bank is near the end of its tightening cycle. The dollar fell 0.3 percent against the yen to 108.75 after earlier falling to a two-week low of 108.51. The greenback also fell 0.2 percent against the Swiss franc, to 0.9921 franc, and was down 0.1 percent against the euro, which traded at $1.1487.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose for a third straight day on Thursday on tighter supply after U.S. sanctions on Venezuelan exports and lower-than-expected U.S. fuel stocks, extending a surge this month as a so-called OPEC+ production cut pact took effect. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 61 cents, or 1.12 percent, at $54.84 per barrel. Brent crude oil futures were up 41 cents, or 0.67 percent, at $62.06 per barrel. The March contract expires on Thursday.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq got a boost from Facebook Inc’s stellar earnings on Thursday, while the Dow was weighed down by a bunch of disappointing quarterly results as investors awaited the outcome of the U.S.-China trade talks. General Electric Co jumped 17 percent after the industrial conglomerate beat estimates for sales and cash flow in the fourth quarter. The S&P 500 was up 0.37 percent, at 2,690.97 and the Nasdaq Composite rose 0.95 percent, at 7,250.98.

In Bond Markets German and French borrowing costs fell to new lows on Thursday as soft euro zone economic data — including news that Italy had slipped into recession — strengthened the case for owning government bonds. Germany’s 10-year bond yield fell to a four-week low of 0.152 percent, while France’s 10-year bond yield dropped to its lowest in over two years at 0.56 percent. Italian 10-year yields were down only about a basis point, coming off the six-month low of 2.566 percent hit in early European trade.