In Asian Equity Markets stocks slid and the dollar hit two-decade peaks on Monday as U.S. stock futures extended their decline on rate worries, while a tightening lockdown in Shanghai stoked concerns about global economic growth and recession. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell 1.3 percent, and Japan’s Nikkei 2.4 percent. Chinese blue chips eased 0.8 percent. Chinese trade data for April were not quite as bad as feared, with exports up 3.9 percent on the year and imports flat.

In Currency Markets the dollar hit a two-decade high on Monday as investors searched for safety and yield in the face of growing concern over slowing global economic growth and rising interest rates. The dollar index, which measures the greenback against six major currencies, is up nearly 9 percent this year and hit its highest since late 2002 on Monday at 104.090. The growth sensitive Australian dollar fell 1 percent to $0.6999, its lowest since February. Sterling and the New Zealand dollar hit 22-month lows, while the euro and yen were barely above recent major troughs.

In US Equity Markets main indexes extended losses on Friday as investors worried that the Federal Reserve will need to be more aggressive than expected in raising interest rates to combat inflation. The Dow fell 0.3 percent, to 32,899.37, the S&P 500 lost 0.57 percent, to 4,123.34 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.4 percent, to 12,144.66. Under Armour Inc lost 23.8 percent after the sportswear maker forecast downbeat fiscal 2023 profit. Shares of rival Nike Inc also fell. Wells Fargo & Co declined 0.5 percent to lead losses among big banks.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose nearly 1.5 percent on Friday, posting a second straight weekly increase as impending European Union sanctions on Russian oil raised the prospect of tighter supply and had traders shrugging off worries about global economic growth.  Brent futures rose 1.3 percent, to settle at $112.39 per barrel. U.S. WTI crude climbed 1.4 percent, to end at $109.77 a barrel. Spot gold rose 0.3 percent to $1,882.78 per ounce. Palladium fell 6.3 percent to $2,049.13 an ounce. Silver fell 0.8 percent to $22.32 an ounce and platinum fell about 2 percent to $962.00.

In European Equity Markets stocks chalked up their worst week in two months on Friday, with tech stocks and retailers feeling the brunt of selling on the prospect of bigger interest rate hikes to tame decades-high inflation. The pan-European STOXX 600 index fell 1.9 percent, with retailers down 2.0 percent and technology stocks off 2.4 percent. Adidas fell 3.6 percent as it lowered expectations for 2022 sales, with renewed COVID-related lockdowns in Greater China hitting the German sportswear company. ING Groep NV, the largest Dutch bank, fell 4.7 percent.

In Bond Markets U.S. bond yields rose on Friday and the curve steepened after data showed wage increase pressures eased even with the labor market on a strong footing. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was up 5.3 basis points to 3.121 percent. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 0.1 basis points at 2.725 percent. The 2-year/10-year yield spread was at 39.4 basis points. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was up 5.4 basis points to 3.215 percent.