In European Equity Markets the pan-European Stoxx 600 ended the session 0.3% higher, with trade-sensitive automotive stocks rising 1.9% to lead gains, while banks fell 0.4% following disappointing earnings from HSBC. Europe’s largest lender HSBC reported an 18% decline in third-quarter pre-tax profits compared to the same period last year, sending the stock 3.7% lower. French food and biopharma testing company Eurofins Scientific jumped 3.6% after its third-quarter profit reassured investors, while gaming giant Ubisoft came off Friday’s two-year low to climb 11.6%.

In Currency Markets the U.S. dollar fell slighly on Monday as optimism that the U.S. and China will reach a trade deal reduced demand for safe haven currencies, and as investors waited on the Federal Reserve’s meeting this week. U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he expected to sign a significant part of the trade deal with China ahead of schedule but did not elaborate on the timing. The dollar index against a basket of six major currencies fell 0.07% to 97.765. The greenback gained 0.19% against the Swiss franc to 0.9962.

In Commodities Markets oil prices eased on Monday after four days of gains as worries about weak Chinese industrial data offset hopes oil demand will rise as talks progress on a Sino-American trade deal. Brent futures were down 32 cents, or 0.5%, at $61.70 a barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) fell 57 cents, or 1.0%, to $56.09. Earlier in the session, Brent and WTI rose to their highest levels in a month, hitting $62.34 and $56.92 per barrel, respectively. WTI fell after failing to break above its 200-day moving average.

In US Equity Markets technology stocks pushed the benchmark S&P 500 index to an all-time high and the Nasdaq close to its record level, as a possible U.S.-China trade deal and rising bets on a third rate cut by the Federal Reserve fueled optimism. Shares of Microsoft Corp gained more than 2% and provided the biggest boost to all three main indexes after the technology giant won the Pentagon’s $10 billion cloud computing contract, beating Amazon.com Inc. The S&P 500 rose 0.51%, at 3,038.09 and the Nasdaq Composite added 0.82%, at 8,311.04.

In Bond Markets Germany’s 10-year bond yield rose to a three-month high on Monday after the European Union granted Britain a three-month extension to exit the bloc and upbeat news on U.S.-China trade talks weakened demand for safe-haven assets. European Council President Donald Tusk said that the 27 countries that will remain in the EU if Britain leaves agreed on Monday to accept London’s request for a Brexit extension until Jan. 31, 2020. Germany’s 10-year bond yield rose to -0.32%, its highest level since late July.