In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 rebounded from early losses to trade 0.48% higher by the close. Telecoms stocks fell 0.7% while Autos led gains with 0.84% rise. Belgian-Dutch biotech firm Galapagos saw its shares jumped 18% to a record high, after U.S.-based Gilead Sciences announced an additional $5.1 billion stake in the company. British software business Micro Focus fell 6% after its executive chairman sold £11.6 million in shares.

In Currency Markets the British pound fell back towards six-month lows against the dollar and the euro on Monday, with traders still nervous about a loss of momentum in the UK economy, the prospect of an interest rate cut and a new prime minister. The pound fell 0.5% to $1.2510, while against the euro it declined 0.5% to around 90 pence. Sterling had hit a six-month low of 90.10 pence per euro last week.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose on Monday as Chinese industrial output and retail data topped expectations, though gains were capped by overall figures showing the country’s slowest quarterly economic growth in decades. The positive Chinese data may indicate early success in the government’s stimulus efforts and potentially more oil demand in the world’s second biggest economy. Brent crude futures rose 43 cents, or 0.64%, to $67.15 a barrel.

In US Equity Markets main indexes eased from their record highs on Monday as bank stocks turned lower after the third largest U.S. lender, Citigroup, reported a squeeze in interest margins. Shares of the Wall Street bank fell 1.3%, reversing early gains from a quarterly profit beat, and weighed on other big lenders. The S&P 500 was down 0.05%, at 3,012.18 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.02%, at 8,242.23.

In Bond Markets Longer-dated U.S. Treasury yields edged lower on Monday as investors focused on Tuesday’s retail sales figures as the next indicator of the strength of the U.S. economy. The U.S. yield curve has steepened in the past week, led by higher longer-dated yields, as the U.S. economic picture improves. The yield curve between two-year and 10-year notes has steepened to 26 basis points, from 15 basis points last Tuesday.