In Asian Equity Markets stocks were seeking a modicum of stability on Monday as a run of stellar U.S. corporate earnings put a floor under markets, though Beijing’s regulatory crackdown continued to reverberate amid disappointing economic news. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan was last up 0.2 percent, having hit its low for the year so far last week. Japan’s Nikkei bounced back 1.6 percent, but that was from its lowest since January. Investors were anxiously watching Chinese blue chips which gained 0.9 percent, after shedding 5.5 percent last week.

In Currency Markets the dollar held just above a one-month low on Monday as traders held tight positions heading into a busy week that includes monthly U.S. jobs data and a key Australian central bank decision. The dollar was little changed at 109.64 yen on Monday, and mostly flat at $1.18685 per euro. Sterling was also little changed at $1.39005, with a policy announcement by the Bank of England due on Thursday. The Aussie dollar was largely steady at $0.73475. The dollar index stood at 92.091, almost unchanged from Friday, when it fell as low as 91.775 for the first time since June 28.

In US Equity Markets stocks fell on Friday with Amazon.com shares declining after the company forecast lower sales growth, but the S&P 500 still posted a sixth straight month of gains. The Dow fell 0.46 percent, to 34,923.83, the S&P 500 lost 0.53 percent, to 4,395.84 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.72 percent, to 14,672.19. Caterpillar Inc reversed course to fall 3.2 percent. The company posted a rise in second quarter adjusted profit on the back of a recovery in global economic activity. Pampers maker Procter & Gamble Co rose 2.1 percent as it forecast higher core earnings for this year.

In Commodities Markets oil prices kept their march higher on Friday, as investors bet that vaccinations would alleviate the impact of a resurgence in COVID-19 infections across the globe and keep demand growing faster than supply. U.S. crude recently rose 0.18 percent to $73.75 per barrel and Brent was at $76.33, up 0.37 percent on the day. Spot gold lost 0.8 percent to $1,814.00 per ounce. Silver fell 0.3 percent to $25.45 but was on track for its first weekly gain in four. Palladium gained 0.5 percent to $2,659.19, while platinum fell 1.1 percent to $1,048.81.

In European Equity Markets stocks fell from record highs on Friday as concerns about the fast-spreading Delta variant and regulatory actions in China outweighed optimism around the quarterly earnings season and an economic recovery. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 0.5 percent, but rose for a sixth straight month in July. Italy’s UniCredit gained 2.8 percent after posting higher-than-expected net profit, and said late on Thursday it had embarked on formal talks with the government over the possible acquisition of rival Monte dei Paschi di Siena. Monte dei Paschi added 3.4 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. Treasury yields fell on Friday, as softer-than-expected inflation data fed the view that the Federal Reserve could delay its exit from quantitative easing, while investors also worried about the raging Delta coronavirus variant. In afternoon trading, the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield was down at 1.238 percent, compared with 1.269 percent late on Thursday. U.S. 30-year yields fell to 1.894 percent from Thursday’s 1.916 percent. For July, U.S. benchmark 10-year yields have fallen 23 basis points, the largest monthly decline since April 2020.