In Asian Equity Markets stocks fell on Monday, marking a weak start to the fourth quarter as concerns over rising interest rates and slowing economic growth across the globe dented appetite for risk-driven assets. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index tumbled 1.6 percent to a new 11-year low, while the Taiwan Weighted Index shed 0.7 percent. Australia’s ASX 200 index fell 0.3 percent ahead of a widely-expected interest rate hike by the Reserve Bank on Tuesday. The Nikkei 225 index jumped 1 percent despite data showing that business sentiment worsened in the country during the third quarter.

In Currency Markets the yen breached the key level of 145 a dollar on Monday, for the first time in more than a week since Japan’s intervention to prop up the currency, while sterling gave up some of its gains after a modest recovery at the end of last week. The yen bottomed at 145.4 to the dollar, and last traded down 0.1 percent at 144.9. The U.S. dollar index rose 0.06 percent to 112.30. The Aussie was up 0.25 percent to $0.64270, while the kiwi was 0.41 percent higher at $0.56265. The euro fell 0.1 percent to $0.9790, while sterling lost 0.69 percent to $1.1088.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 closed the books on its steepest September decline in two decades on Friday, skidding across the finish line of a tumultuous quarter fraught with historically hot inflation, rising interest rates and recession fears. The Dow fell 1.71 percent, to 28,725.51; the S&P 500 lost 1.51 percent, to 3,585.62; and the Nasdaq Composite lost 1.51 percent, to 10,575.62. Among the 11 major sectors of the S&P 500, real estate was the sole gainer, while utilities tech suffered the largest percentage losses. Apple Inc, Microsoft Corp, Amazon.com and Nike weighed heaviest.

In Commodities Markets oil prices fell on Friday in choppy trading but notched their first weekly gain in five on Friday, underpinned by the possibility that OPEC+ will agree to cut crude output when it meets on Oct. 5. Brent crude futures for November, which expire on Friday, fell 0.6 percent, to $87.96 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell 2.1 percent, to $79.49. Spot gold was 0.1 percent higher at $1,661.89 per ounce. Spot silver added 1.1 percent at $19.02 per ounce, while platinum fell 0.6 percent to $859.88. Palladium shed 1.2 percent to $2,174.75 per ounce.

In European Equity Markets stocks climbed on Friday but saw sharp losses during a quarter marked by rising interest rates and tumbling risk sentiment, with hot inflation data from the region keeping investors on edge. The region-wide STOXX 600 index closed up 1.3 percent but had briefly pared some session gains after data showed euro zone inflation zoomed past forecasts to 10.0 percent in September. London’s blue-chip FTSE 100 briefly fell before closing up 0.2 percent while the domestically focused mid-caps index rose 2.3 percent as the pound gained ground after the Bank of England’s intervention in bond markets.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields were little changed on Friday after a volatile week rocked by a Bank of England intervention that sent bond prices rising only to later slip as Federal Reserve officials reiterated interest rates would stay higher for longer. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes rose 1.1 basis points to 3.758 percent, and the 30-year yield added 3.6 basis points to 3.729 percent. The breakeven rate on five-year U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) was last at 2.186 percent.