In Asian Equity Markets stocks paused for breath on Tuesday, after days of volatility with Asian shares edging up and gold falling slightly as investors watched the conflict in Ukraine unfold, and weighed its economic implications, notably regarding energy prices. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan gained 0.5 percent, while Japan’s Nikkei jumped 1.5 percent in early trading. Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 index rose 1.38 percent, boosted by financial and tech stocks ahead of a central bank policy meeting, and Chinese blue chips rose 0.5 percent.

In Currency Markets the rouble tried to regain some stability on Tuesday after its crash to an all-time low, while the U.S. dollar resumed its rise against major peers as traders paused for breath amid the fast-moving Ukraine crisis. The greenback added 0.16 percent to 115.145 yen, after registering a 0.47 percent slide overnight. It rose 0.20 percent to 0.9185 franc, following Monday’s 0.95 percent retreat. The euro resumed its decline, falling 0.25 percent to $1.1191. The risk-sensitive Australian dollar fell 0.15 percent to $0.72525. The New Zealand dollar slid 0.35 percent to $0.6756.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 ended lower on Monday, with investors wrestling with uncertainty and bank stocks falling following powerful Western sanctions against Russia as it continued its invasion of Ukraine. The Dow fell 0.49 percent to end at 33,892.6 points, while the S&P 500 lost 0.24 percent to 4,373.94. The Nasdaq Composite climbed 0.41 percent to 13,751.40. Defense stocks Raytheon Technologies, Lockheed Martin Corp, General Dynamics Corp, Northrop Grumman and L3Harris Technologies gained on Monday following news that Germany would increase its military spending.

In Commodities Markets oil prices jumped on Monday as Western allies imposed more sanctions on Russia and blocked some Russian banks from a global payments system, which could cause severe disruption to its oil exports. Brent crude settled up 3.1 percent, at $100.99 a barrel after touching a high of $105.07 in early trade. U.S. WTI crude settled up 4.5 percent, at $95.72 after hitting $99.10 in early trade. Spot gold rose 0.6 percent to $1,898.25 per ounce. Spot silver gained 0.5 percent at $24.31, while platinum fell 1.6 percent to $1,037.51. Palladium was up 5.1 percent at $2,488.20.

In European Equity Markets stocks cut almost all session losses on Monday as Russia and Ukraine held ceasefire talks, while euro zone banks fell as they braced for impacts from tough new sanctions on Russia. The pan-European STOXX 600 ended 0.1 percent lower after having fallen nearly 2 percent in the session, as investors bought defensive and technology names. Euro zone banks, lost 5.7 percent with lenders most exposed to Russia, including Austria’s Raiffeisen Bank , UniCredit and Societe Generale, plunging between 9.5 percent and 14 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields fell on Monday as investors sought safe-havens after Western nations imposed tough new sanctions on Russia, including blocking some Russian banks from the SWIFT global payments system. The benchmark 10-year Treasury yield fell to as low as 1.89 percent and was last down 5 bps at 1.92 percent. The 30-year yield was down similarly to 2.25 percent. The two-year yield was down to 6 basis points to 1.51 percent. The yield curve as measured by the gap between two and 10-year yields was at 40 bps, holding at levels observed since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last week.