In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 closed around 0.3 percent lower, with most sectors and major bourses in negative territory. Europe’s bank stocks were among the worst performers, down 0.6 percent. Germany’s Commerzbank fell to the bottom of the sector amid ongoing merger talks with Deutsche Bank. A report said Monday that regulators have set strict standards for a deal, including demands for a detailed workforce reduction plan. Shares fell 2.5 percent.

In Currency Markets sterling held above $1.3on Monday but traded in a narrow range reflecting nervousness in the market about key Brexit talks in London between Prime Minister Theresa May and the opposition Labour Party. The pound traded up 0.1 percent at $1.3046 and was down 0.3 percent against a stronger euro at 86.34 pence. May heads to Berlin and Paris on Tuesday to meet Chancellor Angela Merkel and President Emmanuel Macron and will be phoning other leaders before setting out the case for another delay at Wednesday’s EU summit in Brussels.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose to a five-month high on Monday, driven by expectations for tighter global supply from fighting in Libya, OPEC-led cuts and U.S. sanctions against Iran and Venezuela. International benchmark Brent futures gained 56 cents, or 0.8 percent, to $70.90 a barrel. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up $1.09, or 1.7 percent, to $64.17 a barrel. Brent and WTI hit their highest since November at $70.99 and $64.39 a barrel, respectively.

In US Equity Markets indices were flat on Monday after the S&P 500 logged a seven-day winning streak, as investors braced for what could be the first corporate earnings decline since 2016. Among other stocks, General Electric Co fell 5.3 percent after J.P.Morgan downgraded the conglomerate’s shares to “underweight” from “neutral”. Micron Technology was down 1.8 percent after Cowen and Co cut its rating on the chipmaker’s stock to “market perform” from “outperform”. Boeing Co. fell 4.1 percent after planemaker’s decision to cut production of its 737 aircraft by nearly 20%.

In Bond Markets Greece’s 10-year government bond yields hit their lowest level in over 13 years on Monday, as encouraging headlines boosted sentiment and zero percent Bund yields pushed investors towards riskier investments. Most euro zone bond yields are now at tighter spreads as investors move down the credit spectrum to pick up some yield, with German 10-year yields staying around zero percent before Wednesday’s European Central Bank meeting. Greece’s 10-year bond yield fell below the 3.50 percent mark for the first time since January 2006