In Asian Equity Markets Japanese stocks reversed course to end higher on Monday as investors hoped for a positive outcome from the planned talks between Russia and Ukraine, easing concerns about the economic impact of harsh Western sanctions against Moscow. The Nikkei index closed 0.19 percent higher at 26,526.82, after falling as much as 0.8 percent earlier in the day. The broader Topix also recouped early losses to end 0.57 percent higher at 1,886.93. The Shanghai Composite index was down 0.14 percent at 3,446.44. China’s blue-chip CSI300 index was down 0.36 percent.

In Currency Markets the Russian rouble slid more than 15 percent against the dollar and euro at market opening in Moscow on Monday but central bank intervention arrested its fall, after it tumbled to a record low in Asian trade as harsh new sanctions were slapped on Russia. The rouble was trading at 95.48 to the U.S. dollar, down 15 percent from Friday’s close, and at 107.3550 per euro, 15.4 percent lower. The euro fell 0.7 percent to $1.1187. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar fell 0.1 percent to 115.52. The Dollar Index traded 0.5 percent higher at 97.115.

In US Equity Markets the stocks rose on Friday with the market rebounding for a second day from the sharp selloff leading up to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The Dow rose 2.51 percent, to 34,058.75, the S&P 500 gained 2.24 percent, to 4,384.65 and the Nasdaq Composite added 1.64 percent, to 13,694.62. Shares of Johnson & Johnson climbed 5 percent after a U.S. judge ruled that the drugmaker’s subsidiary can remain in bankruptcy, preventing plaintiffs from pursuing 38,000 lawsuits against the company alleging its baby powder and other talc products cause cancer.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Friday after sharp rises early in the session on concern over potential global supply disruptions from sanctions on major crude exporter Russia. The April Brent crude futures contract fell 1.2 percent, to settle at $97.93 a barrel, after climbing as high as $101.99. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude fell 1.3 percent, to settle at $91.59 a barrel, after hitting a session high of $95.64. Spot gold fell 0.9 percent to $1,887.05 per ounce. Palladium fell 1.3 percent to $2,372.19. Spot silver fell 0.6 percent to $24.05 per ounce and platinum eased 0.5 percent to $1,051.88.

In European Equity Markets main stocks index roared back on Friday, lifting off nine-month lows with banks leading a broad-based rally as investors hunted for bargains following a bruising sell-off after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The STOXX 600 ended the day up 3.3 percent, after falling to May lows on Thursday. All major indices jumped more than 3 percent, with London’s FTSE 100 up almost 4 percent. Banks jumped 4.3 percent to regain half of the previous session’s dive. But they braced for impact from likely new sanctions from the West on Russia that could halt Russian banks’ access to European financial markets.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields eased from earlier highs on Friday after the Federal Reserve’s preferred inflation gauge rose more than expected in January, but the market’s reaction was muted as uncertainty reigned due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The 10-year’s yield was last down 0.5 basis points at 1.967 percent. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield was up 2.8 basis points at 1.574 percent, but down from a 14-month peak of 1.643 percent on Wednesday. The breakeven rate on five-year U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) was last at 2.99 percent.