In Asian Equity Markets stocks finished the week heading for their lowest close since November and worst week since February, dragged down by losses in China and extending the sharp falls a day earlier. The MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan lost 1.04 percent, down 4.8 percent on he week, its worst week since February. The Hong Kong benchmark touched its lowest this year, and was last down 2.28 percent while Chinese blue chips fell 2.4 percent. South Korea’s Kopsi was also down 0.92 percent, set for its worst week in seven months. Japan’s Nikkei fell 0.87 percent to a seven-month low.

In Currency Markets the safe-haven U.S. dollar marked a fresh 9-1/2-month high against major peers on Friday, buoyed by fears that the Delta coronavirus variant could delay the global economic recovery. The dollar index rose as high as 93.597. The euro ticked up 0.09 percent to $1.16865, but still traded near the 9 1/2-month low of $1.16655 reached overnight. The Australian dollar sank to a new 9 1/2-month low of $0.71265 before trading mostly flat at $0.71455. New Zealand’s kiwi fell to a fresh nine-month trough at $0.6808 before changing hands 0.2 percent higher on the day at $0.68385.

In US Equity Markets the S&P 500 ended modestly higher in a choppy session on Thursday, with gains in tech shares countering losses in cyclical sectors, as investors took the pulse of the economic rebound and gauged when the Federal Reserve might temper its monetary stimulus. The Dow fell 0.19 percent, to 34,894.12, the S&P 500 gained 0.13 percent, to 4,405.8 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.11 percent, to 14,541.79. In company news, shares of U.S. department store chains Macy’s Inc and Kohl’s Corp rose 19.6 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively, following increased annual sales forecasts.

In Commodities Markets oil prices skidded on Thursday for a sixth session, hitting lows not seen since May, as investors pulled back over concerns about weakened global demand as COVID-19 cases climbed on the back of a rise in the U.S. dollar. Brent crude lost 2.6 percent, to settle at $66.45 a barrel. The most-active contract for U.S. West Intermediate fell 2.6 percent, to $63.50 a barrel. Spot gold fell 0.5 percent to $1,778.65 per ounce, while silver fell 1.4 percent to $23.15 per ounce. Platinum fell 2.5 percent to $969.88 per ounce, and palladium shed 4.8 percent to $2,311.19 per ounce.

In European Equity Markets stocks to their biggest daily loss in a month on Thursday as a slump in commodity prices dragged down mining stocks, while luxury stocks were hit by a Chinese wealth redistribution push. The pan-European STOXX 600 was down 1.6 percent at a two-week low, with mining stocks sliding 4.2 percent in their biggest one-day decline since March. The travel and leisure index declined 2.5 percent as a rise in cases of the Delta variant of the coronavirus added to concerns of slowing global growth and took the shine off a solid second-quarter corporate earnings season.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields fell on Thursday as risk appetite worsened on concerns about the spread of COVID variants, and a day after the Federal Reserve said it expects to begin paring bond purchases this year. Benchmark 10-year yields dipped three basis points to 1.245 percent. They fell to 1.127 percent earlier this month, which was the lowest since February. The Treasury saw solid demand for an $8 billion sale of 30-year Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS), which sold at a high yield of minus 0.292 percent.