In Asian Equity Markets stocks were mostly down on Wednesday morning, with China releasing factory-gate data and the U.S. as well as the U.K. banning on Russian oil. China’s Shanghai Composite edged down 0.15 percent and the Shenzhen Component inched down 0.07 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index fell 1.23 percent. Japan’s Nikkei 225 was up 0.23 percent, with the GDP growing 1.1 percent quarter-on-quarter and 4.6 percent year-on-year in the fourth quarter of 2021. In Australia, the ASX 200 rose 0.94 percent after the Westpac consumer sentiment contracted 4.2 percent in March.

In Currency Markets the dollar was down on Wednesday morning in Asia, while the euro took a breather. Commodity currencies also fell from recent highs, as investors calculate that sky-high energy, grains, and metals prices could decrease demand in the long run. The U.S. Dollar Index inched down 0.05 percent to 99.035. Against the Japanese yen, the dollar edged up 0.15 percent to 115.84. The euro steadied in early trade, recovering from a 22-month low of $1.0806 hit on Monday to trade at the $1.0898 mark. Sterling inched up 0.08 percent to $1.3114.

In US Equity Markets stocks ended lower in rocky trading on Tuesday, as investors weighed fast-paced developments around the crisis in Ukraine as the United States banned Russian oil and other energy imports over the invasion. The Dow fell 0.56 percent, to 32,632.64, the S&P 500 lost 0.72 percent, to 4,170.7 and the Nasdaq Composite fell 0.28 percent, to 12,795.55. Defensive sectors were the biggest decliners, with consumer staples falling 2.6 percent, healthcare falling 2.1 percent and utilities down 1.6 percent. The energy sector continued its charge higher, rising 1.4 percent.

In Commodities Markets oil prices rose on Tuesday as the United States banned Russian oil imports and Britain said it will phase them out by year end, decisions expected to further disrupt the global energy market where Russia is the second-largest exporter of crude. Brent crude futures settled at $127.98 a barrel, 3.9 percent higher, while U.S. crude futures settled at $123.70 a barrel, a 3.6 percent increase. Spot gold was flat at $2,053.99 per ounce. Spot silver was up 1 percent at $26.66 per ounce. Palladium gained 3.3 percent to $3,284.67 per ounce. Platinum rose 1.2 percent to $1,168.02.

In European Equity Markets stocks edged higher on Tuesday, as banking stocks found some reprieve after hefty losses in the past sessions, although the sentiment remained fragile as Moscow warned it could cut gas supplies to Europe. The region-wide STOXX 600 index rose 0.2 percent, with banks gaining 1.7 percent after hitting a one-year low in the previous session. Adding to woes, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said Russia could cut gas supplies via the existing Nord Stream 1 pipeline to Germany, but it has not made such a decision yet.

In Bond Markets the yield on the benchmark U.S. 10-year Treasury climbed on Tuesday after reports that the European Union could reveal a plan for joint bond issuance and as concerns rose that rising oil prices will add to mounting inflation. The yield on 10-year Treasury notes was up 11.2 basis points to 1.861 percent. The yield on the 30-year Treasury bond was up 8.2 basis points to 2.233 percent. The two-year U.S. Treasury yield, which typically moves in step with interest rate expectations, was up 7.3 basis points at 1.621 percent.