World stocks rose 0.2 percent .MIWD000PUS, staying off recent record highs, while emerging equities were up 0.6 percent .MSCIEF.
The other main focus of the day was Britain’s talks with the European Union. Prime Minister Theresa May was holding a crunch meeting with EU officials to break a deadlock and officials have expressed optimism that a deal on the main issues will be struck on Monday.
The pound firmed around 0.8 percent against the euro to a one-month high EURGBP= while against the dollar it rose almost half a percent GBP=.
Hopes of an agreement pushed sterling recently to six-month highs against its trading partners’ currencies =GBP.
“To me, this is a Brexit breakthrough and it should be solid for the pound,” said Neil Jones, Mizuho’s head of hedge fund currency sales in London.
“I sense that we’re moving towards a sign-off that will enable the UK to move into trade talks and that’s only going to be a good thing for the pound.”
Ten-year UK government bond yields however, were up around 6 basis points GB10YT=RR in sympathy with global bond market moves. European bond yields also rose by 3-5 bps, tracking Treasury moves and Ten-year German Bund yields were up around three basis points DE10YT=RR.
Emerging currencies were mostly weaker against the dollar, with Turkish markets hit by data showing inflation at almost 13 percent, the highest since 2003.
On commodities, Brent crude futures slipped 0.7 percent, LCOc1 pressured by signs of increasing supply from U.S. shale producers, Reuters reports.
